1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:01,980 Theo Kahler: Say the last mile and a half, there was this guy. 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,080 Theo Kahler: He came up on me at the end and I 3 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,359 Theo Kahler: was so ready to be done. I was like, " My 4 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,490 Theo Kahler: legs..." I felt like I was running in jello or 5 00:00:08,490 --> 00:00:12,990 Theo Kahler: something, and soaking it in, but I was like, "I am at my 6 00:00:12,990 --> 00:00:15,390 Theo Kahler: limit here." We were back and forth, back and forth, 7 00:00:15,390 --> 00:00:18,510 Theo Kahler: and I think I probably would've run 20 or 30 seconds slower 8 00:00:18,510 --> 00:00:20,310 Theo Kahler: that last mile if he hadn't been next to me, 9 00:00:20,610 --> 00:00:22,710 Theo Kahler: and ended up getting him at the end. 10 00:00:26,910 --> 00:00:30,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey, everybody, and welcome to Set the Pace, the official 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by Peloton. I'm 12 00:00:34,110 --> 00:00:36,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Road Runners, 13 00:00:36,810 --> 00:00:40,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: and Becs Gentry from Peloton is here with me. Happy 14 00:00:40,890 --> 00:00:44,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanksgiving, Becs. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody out there. 15 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,190 Becs Gentry: Yeah, Happy Turkey Day to you Americans. 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: I know that Thanksgiving is not a thing you grew up with, so maybe it's not that exciting, but do you make Thanksgiving a thing in your family? I mean, you're- 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,390 Becs Gentry: I mean, I have to. I have to. I am the 18 00:01:00,390 --> 00:01:05,069 Becs Gentry: only British person in a humongous family, so my nationality 19 00:01:05,069 --> 00:01:09,179 Becs Gentry: doesn't count on the holidays and I have to show 20 00:01:09,180 --> 00:01:12,780 Becs Gentry: my daughter the traditions of the country she is living 21 00:01:12,780 --> 00:01:15,449 Becs Gentry: in and being raised in. The only thing I will 22 00:01:15,450 --> 00:01:18,690 Becs Gentry: say that I dislike about is the fact that it 23 00:01:18,690 --> 00:01:23,940 Becs Gentry: steals my Christmas meal because you guys eat turkey and 24 00:01:23,940 --> 00:01:26,880 Becs Gentry: all of the trimmings now, which is what we have 25 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,640 Becs Gentry: at Christmas. So I get really upset that on Christmas 26 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,520 Becs Gentry: I'm like, " I don't want steak. I don't want beef 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,900 Becs Gentry: at Christmas, I want turkey." It's a month away, but nobody in the Curtis 28 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:39,420 Becs Gentry: family wants to do turkey again. So that's my only 29 00:01:39,420 --> 00:01:42,809 Becs Gentry: gripe with it, but that's why I've now adopted this 30 00:01:43,050 --> 00:01:45,690 Becs Gentry: go all in, go hard for Thanksgiving because I treat 31 00:01:45,690 --> 00:01:46,500 Becs Gentry: it like Christmas. 32 00:01:47,250 --> 00:01:50,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: That actually is really funny. In my family, we just really like 33 00:01:50,610 --> 00:01:53,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: turkey, so we would do the double. We would have 34 00:01:53,610 --> 00:01:57,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanksgiving turkey, and then Christmas turkey again. We didn't mind that. 35 00:01:57,870 --> 00:01:58,140 Becs Gentry: I'll see you on the 25th of December then. 36 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes, exactly. You're welcome to join. But yes, a lot 37 00:02:03,750 --> 00:02:06,510 Rob Simmelkjaer: of people will switch it up for if they do 38 00:02:06,510 --> 00:02:10,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: Christmas, they may do a ham or something like that because not 39 00:02:11,340 --> 00:02:13,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: everybody loves turkey as much as we love turkey. 40 00:02:13,950 --> 00:02:15,960 Becs Gentry: You must have a good chef in your family then. 41 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,139 Rob Simmelkjaer: The turkey chef, you're looking at him right now. It's me. 42 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,750 Becs Gentry: I'm calling you then. I'm calling you because I'm cooking 43 00:02:21,750 --> 00:02:24,090 Becs Gentry: this year and I am petrified. I bought my bird 44 00:02:24,090 --> 00:02:29,010 Becs Gentry: yesterday. She's big, and that's about as far as I've got. 45 00:02:29,010 --> 00:02:32,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: I can give you tips. I'm very lucky. My mother 46 00:02:32,970 --> 00:02:35,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: is an excellent cook, was an excellent cook back when 47 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,829 Rob Simmelkjaer: she was cooking things. She gave me all the secrets 48 00:02:37,830 --> 00:02:41,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: over the years to turkey, to some other things that 49 00:02:41,190 --> 00:02:44,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: we do, a corn pudding and some other great... Mac 50 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: and cheese, which my youngest daughter always insists that I 51 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: make just the way her grandmother made it. So it's all 52 00:02:50,460 --> 00:02:54,209 Rob Simmelkjaer: those things that make Thanksgiving really my favorite holiday because 53 00:02:54,540 --> 00:02:59,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: the crazy shopping hasn't started yet, it's all about the 54 00:02:59,430 --> 00:03:02,430 Rob Simmelkjaer: getting together, enjoying food, and what I also love is 55 00:03:02,430 --> 00:03:06,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: that it's so universal. It's not religious, it's not... Anybody 56 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: can come to the United States, someone like you for 57 00:03:08,460 --> 00:03:12,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: instance, and adopt this holiday. It's a great time and 58 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: I hope everybody out there if you're listening on Thursday 59 00:03:15,780 --> 00:03:19,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: or after the fact have or are having a great 60 00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:23,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanksgiving. And of course, Becs, one of the great traditions of Thanksgiving 61 00:03:23,669 --> 00:03:26,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: in the United States is the turkey trot. It's kind 62 00:03:26,580 --> 00:03:29,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: of the one day a year that so many non- 63 00:03:29,310 --> 00:03:33,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: runners decide they're going to run. There's so many one 64 00:03:33,450 --> 00:03:36,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: race a year people who are racing on Thanksgiving morning, 65 00:03:36,930 --> 00:03:41,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: which I absolutely love. So are you going to be out there turkey trotting? 66 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:44,580 Becs Gentry: I have no idea. I'm actually going to look up 67 00:03:44,580 --> 00:03:49,710 Becs Gentry: right now if there is one near me. I feel like I saw... 68 00:03:49,950 --> 00:03:52,500 Becs Gentry: Because we're not going to be in New York for 69 00:03:52,980 --> 00:03:55,470 Becs Gentry: Thanksgiving this year. We're going to be at our lake house 70 00:03:55,830 --> 00:03:58,890 Becs Gentry: and I think I saw one on the drive home, 71 00:03:59,250 --> 00:04:02,010 Becs Gentry: but I don't remember where. So I'll find out. I 72 00:04:02,010 --> 00:04:05,250 Becs Gentry: might do it or I might not because as I'm 73 00:04:05,250 --> 00:04:08,610 Becs Gentry: the chef that might be a bad idea, but I'll 74 00:04:08,610 --> 00:04:11,580 Becs Gentry: converse with you tomorrow, Rob. Give me some timing tips 75 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:12,120 Becs Gentry: and I'll decide. 76 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, it can be complicated. Some people will put their turkey in 77 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: really early and then go for the lawn or... Depends 78 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: a lot on what time you're going to eat, right? 79 00:04:19,050 --> 00:04:21,839 Rob Simmelkjaer: So that's the biggest issue everybody has to decide is 80 00:04:22,020 --> 00:04:24,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: what time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner and then you 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: kind of model it around that, but... So there's a great turkey 82 00:04:27,930 --> 00:04:31,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: trot near me that I've run a bunch of times. 83 00:04:31,380 --> 00:04:36,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's in Southport, Connecticut. It's the Pequot Runners Thanksgiving Day 84 00:04:36,330 --> 00:04:40,529 Rob Simmelkjaer: five miler, which I love. It's one of the best 85 00:04:40,529 --> 00:04:43,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: races in Fairfield County, Connecticut. They always get a couple 86 00:04:43,860 --> 00:04:47,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: thousand folks signed up for this race. It's really special. 87 00:04:47,850 --> 00:04:50,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: And this year I'm running it, but I'm doing something 88 00:04:50,339 --> 00:04:53,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: different actually. This year I'm going to run with a 89 00:04:53,430 --> 00:04:58,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: team called MyTEAM TRIUMPH and MyTEAM TRIUMPH, Becs, is an awesome 90 00:04:58,710 --> 00:05:02,909 Rob Simmelkjaer: organization. They get runners to come out and run with 91 00:05:03,510 --> 00:05:07,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: disabled athletes, runners with disabilities. A lot of them are 92 00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:10,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: folks who are... Some of them are ambulatory, a lot 93 00:05:10,380 --> 00:05:13,979 Rob Simmelkjaer: of them are non- ambulatory. And they put together teams 94 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,549 Rob Simmelkjaer: around these great people to take them out and give 95 00:05:17,550 --> 00:05:21,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: them a special experience running on Thanksgiving Day. So I've 96 00:05:21,450 --> 00:05:24,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: signed up as what's called an angel from MyTEAM TRIUMPH 97 00:05:25,170 --> 00:05:28,529 Rob Simmelkjaer: and the athletes themselves, the stars of the show, they're 98 00:05:28,529 --> 00:05:31,109 Rob Simmelkjaer: called the captains of the team, and so I'll be 99 00:05:31,110 --> 00:05:34,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: an angel on some captain's team on Thursday and I 100 00:05:34,650 --> 00:05:36,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: can't wait to do that. It'll be my first time 101 00:05:36,270 --> 00:05:40,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: running with MyTEAM TRIUMPH. Great organization. So that I think 102 00:05:40,050 --> 00:05:43,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: will be a really special way to ring in Thanksgiving. 103 00:05:44,190 --> 00:05:46,680 Becs Gentry: It will. That sounds amazing. Well, I'll be tuning into your social 104 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,420 Becs Gentry: to see how that goes for sure. 105 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, very excited. So you've had some busy times. Becs, 106 00:05:51,930 --> 00:05:54,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: I know you were just out in Vegas recently with 107 00:05:54,930 --> 00:05:58,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: Peloton. You're becoming like Ms. Formula One. Talk about that. 108 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:04,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: I know the Brits love Formula One racing, and Americans 109 00:06:04,890 --> 00:06:06,779 Rob Simmelkjaer: are getting more into it, but it was never really 110 00:06:06,779 --> 00:06:09,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: my thing, but there was a big F1 race out in Vegas 111 00:06:09,570 --> 00:06:11,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: and you and your Peloton colleagues got to be a part 112 00:06:11,370 --> 00:06:11,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: of that. 113 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,910 Becs Gentry: Exactly. Yeah, Peloton were the official fitness sponsor of the 114 00:06:14,910 --> 00:06:19,230 Becs Gentry: F1 Las Vegas 2025 Grand Prix, which meant we got 115 00:06:19,230 --> 00:06:25,320 Becs Gentry: to attend the Vegas race, and we produced four special 116 00:06:26,070 --> 00:06:29,520 Becs Gentry: IRL classes from the Awakening Theater at the Wynn Hotel, 117 00:06:29,850 --> 00:06:34,349 Becs Gentry: which was mind- blowing. I encourage everyone to at least 118 00:06:34,350 --> 00:06:37,170 Becs Gentry: just... You don't even have to run it or bike 119 00:06:37,170 --> 00:06:39,450 Becs Gentry: it. Just watch it if you've got the app because 120 00:06:39,450 --> 00:06:42,900 Becs Gentry: the production was incredible. The team that we worked with 121 00:06:43,410 --> 00:06:47,730 Becs Gentry: were through the roof good. And yeah, we got to 122 00:06:47,730 --> 00:06:49,589 Becs Gentry: do some fun stuff, we got to do some racecar 123 00:06:49,589 --> 00:06:52,650 Becs Gentry: driving on a track. I drove a McLaren at 168. 124 00:06:53,730 --> 00:06:56,640 Becs Gentry: Well, Austin says kilometers, but he wasn't there and I think 125 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,041 Becs Gentry: it was miles. It felt very fast. 126 00:06:59,041 --> 00:07:00,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's going pretty fast, yeah. 127 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:03,990 Becs Gentry: Yes. And we got to learn, we had an instructor 128 00:07:03,990 --> 00:07:05,909 Becs Gentry: next to us and we got to be coached how 129 00:07:05,910 --> 00:07:08,700 Becs Gentry: to go in to turns and accelerate and go full 130 00:07:08,700 --> 00:07:12,210 Becs Gentry: throttle through at S- bends in these supercars, which was 131 00:07:12,210 --> 00:07:16,380 Becs Gentry: wild, but needless to say, it's Vegas. You go hard 132 00:07:16,470 --> 00:07:20,910 Becs Gentry: and then you go home and the tail end of the week 133 00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:24,600 Becs Gentry: was minimal sleep, mucho party, but it was basically three 134 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,410 Becs Gentry: mamas who never go out and we had a lot 135 00:07:28,410 --> 00:07:30,210 Becs Gentry: of fun. And all I will say is thank goodness 136 00:07:30,210 --> 00:07:31,890 Becs Gentry: it was a sports race because most of them were 137 00:07:31,890 --> 00:07:36,239 Becs Gentry: sponsored by water companies, which was great for me. That 138 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:37,800 Becs Gentry: enabled me to be able to go out all night, 139 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,050 Becs Gentry: because I was like, " I've got my bottle and it's 140 00:07:40,050 --> 00:07:40,680 Becs Gentry: not champagne." 141 00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:45,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: Nice. Nice to see you having some fun out there 142 00:07:45,330 --> 00:07:49,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: in Vegas. Like the opposite of the runner's mindset that 143 00:07:49,860 --> 00:07:52,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: you have to be so focused and go to sleep 144 00:07:52,140 --> 00:07:54,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: early and wake up and hydrate. Go out to Vegas, 145 00:07:54,570 --> 00:07:56,881 Rob Simmelkjaer: have some fun, party a little bit. Good for you, Becs. 146 00:07:56,881 --> 00:08:00,120 Becs Gentry: And come back with my larynx hating me, but that's fine. 147 00:08:00,150 --> 00:08:02,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: We can still hear you. You can rest up over the 148 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:05,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanksgiving holiday. I know you'll be doing a little of 149 00:08:05,820 --> 00:08:10,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: that in between your runs on the treadmill. Well, good. 150 00:08:10,020 --> 00:08:12,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: Glad you had a great time. We had a great 151 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:16,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: time this past Sunday back in Central Park. A great 152 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: annual tradition at New York Road Runners, the Race to 153 00:08:19,380 --> 00:08:23,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: Deliver Four Miler to Benefit God's Love We deliver. This 154 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: was the 32nd year New York Road Runners has partnered 155 00:08:26,820 --> 00:08:29,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: with God's Love We Deliver, which if you don't know 156 00:08:29,370 --> 00:08:33,059 Rob Simmelkjaer: is an amazing local organization with a mission to prepare 157 00:08:33,059 --> 00:08:38,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: and deliver nutritious, medically- tailored needs to New Yorkers who 158 00:08:38,340 --> 00:08:43,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: are affected by severe and chronic illnesses. Great cause, great 159 00:08:43,170 --> 00:08:47,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: race and we're so proud to continue that partnership with 160 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:51,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: God's Love We Deliver. We also had some great running 161 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: that day as well. On the women's side, it was Kate 162 00:08:53,820 --> 00:08:58,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: MacCary winning that race 22: 21 for Central Park Track Club. 163 00:08:58,350 --> 00:09:03,089 Rob Simmelkjaer: The non- binary winner was Pierce Lydon at 24: 53 164 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: for Beasts from Riis. That's a club I haven't heard 165 00:09:06,090 --> 00:09:09,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: of before. And on the men's side it was Hugo 166 00:09:09,210 --> 00:09:13,679 Rob Simmelkjaer: Cayssials, 20 minutes and nine seconds for Central Park Track 167 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,949 Rob Simmelkjaer: Club. Congrats to everybody out there. It was a great day 168 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: and a nice day to run. Nice and cool. Overcast, 169 00:09:20,370 --> 00:09:22,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: no rain. So I think people had a great day 170 00:09:22,410 --> 00:09:23,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: out there in Central Park on Sunday. 171 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:25,260 Becs Gentry: Congrats, everyone. 172 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:30,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: Absolutely. Well, Becs, we've got a guest today who is 173 00:09:30,150 --> 00:09:34,080 Rob Simmelkjaer: one of these folks, it makes you realize that running 174 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,929 Rob Simmelkjaer: really fast is just a gift and some people just 175 00:09:36,929 --> 00:09:40,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: have it. You have it, our guest today has it. 176 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: He is a guy who's got a full- time job 177 00:09:43,650 --> 00:09:47,429 Rob Simmelkjaer: as Runner's World's news editor. His name is Theo Kahler 178 00:09:47,429 --> 00:09:50,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: and not only did he run the TCS New York City 179 00:09:50,370 --> 00:09:53,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: Marathon for the first time in November 2nd, but he 180 00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:57,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: finished in 40th place, which is pretty incredible for someone 181 00:09:57,270 --> 00:09:59,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: who was only running their third ever marathon and their 182 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:00,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: first time in New York. 183 00:10:01,950 --> 00:10:06,540 Becs Gentry: Isn't that incredible he can do that? Anyway, you are 184 00:10:06,540 --> 00:10:10,530 Becs Gentry: going to find out how he did that and hear 185 00:10:11,340 --> 00:10:15,059 Becs Gentry: how kind of humble he really and truly is with this 186 00:10:15,059 --> 00:10:17,069 Becs Gentry: magnificent skill to run that fast. 187 00:10:17,309 --> 00:10:20,309 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's right. And how he balances his job, which is 188 00:10:20,309 --> 00:10:22,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: in running, so that kind of helps, but a busy 189 00:10:22,740 --> 00:10:25,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: job with running at that level. So Theo Kahler will 190 00:10:25,530 --> 00:10:27,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: join us, and then someone who did not run their 191 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: first marathon will be our member moment. Raymond Choy actually 192 00:10:31,350 --> 00:10:34,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: completed the TCS New York City Marathon for the 27th 193 00:10:34,530 --> 00:10:38,939 Rob Simmelkjaer: time this year and he's here to tell us why year after year, 194 00:10:39,150 --> 00:10:42,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: decade after decade he keeps coming back. So we look 195 00:10:42,630 --> 00:10:45,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: forward to hearing from Raymond as well. And if you 196 00:10:45,450 --> 00:10:47,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: ran on November 2nd but you're having a hard time 197 00:10:47,580 --> 00:10:49,979 Rob Simmelkjaer: lacing back up, well, we talk about that a little 198 00:10:49,980 --> 00:10:53,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: bit with Theo actually, but today's Meb Minute is also 199 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: for you because he's going to talk about how your 200 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:58,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: body learns so much more than maybe you realized during 201 00:10:58,770 --> 00:11:01,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: the journey, the 26.2 miles. Meb is going to break it 202 00:11:01,650 --> 00:11:04,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: all down for you and help you get back out there 203 00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:09,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: on the roads. Peloton is leveling up. With the launch 204 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: of their Peloton cross- training series, they're redefining what race 205 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: training can look like, Personalized cardio and strength. It makes 206 00:11:17,130 --> 00:11:21,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: it easier than ever to achieve real results. Whether runners 207 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: are building a base or pushing for a PR, Peloton 208 00:11:24,390 --> 00:11:27,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: meets them where they are, then helps them go further. 209 00:11:27,510 --> 00:11:32,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: Smarter training, stronger outcomes, all backed by expert instruction and 210 00:11:32,490 --> 00:11:36,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: performance insights. Ready to elevate your race game with Peloton? 211 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: Head to onepeloton. com to learn more. Peloton, an official 212 00:11:41,490 --> 00:11:47,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: partner of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. Theo Kahler 213 00:11:47,010 --> 00:11:49,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: is the news editor at Runner's World. He's a former 214 00:11:49,860 --> 00:11:53,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: collegiate track standout from South Carolina and he covers the 215 00:11:53,910 --> 00:11:56,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: sport's biggest events as a journalist. But even as he 216 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: holds down a full- time job, Theo has not given 217 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: up his running dreams. In fact, he seems to be 218 00:12:02,580 --> 00:12:05,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: getting better and better. This month, Theo ran his first 219 00:12:05,910 --> 00:12:10,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: TCS New York City Marathon and placed 40th over all 220 00:12:10,470 --> 00:12:14,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: and across the line as the 15th American in the 221 00:12:14,010 --> 00:12:17,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: men's category. Ever true to his first- person narrative writing 222 00:12:17,850 --> 00:12:20,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: style, Theo wrote a much talked about article for Runner's 223 00:12:20,910 --> 00:12:24,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: World titled I finished 40th at the New York City 224 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: Marathon with a full- time job - you don't need to 225 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: be a pro to dream big. And that's an awesome 226 00:12:30,030 --> 00:12:34,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: message and clearly the truth for Theo Kahler. Congratulations, Theo, 227 00:12:34,650 --> 00:12:37,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: on an unbelievable run in New York. 228 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:39,929 Theo Kahler: Thank you so much. Yeah, it was such a fun 229 00:12:39,929 --> 00:12:43,980 Theo Kahler: day, beautiful weather and couldn't have asked for much more. 230 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,360 Becs Gentry: Absolutely incredible. I am blown away by your story and 231 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,900 Becs Gentry: I'm so excited to hear more from you, from the 232 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:55,559 Becs Gentry: man himself. So let's just reiterate here. This was your 233 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,520 Becs Gentry: first time running the TCS New York City Marathon, right? 234 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:00,270 Theo Kahler: Mm- hmm. 235 00:13:00,570 --> 00:13:05,219 Becs Gentry: And you clocked at 2: 24: 12, right? 236 00:13:05,220 --> 00:13:05,699 Theo Kahler: Correct, yeah. 237 00:13:06,179 --> 00:13:12,900 Becs Gentry: Finishing 40th out of over 59, 000 runners. This is a lot. 238 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:15,870 Becs Gentry: This is a lot. So I want to know, Theo, were 239 00:13:15,870 --> 00:13:20,340 Becs Gentry: any of these three things your goal going in and 240 00:13:20,940 --> 00:13:24,120 Becs Gentry: what were your goals if not, and how did they unfold? Talk 241 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:24,900 Becs Gentry: us through it. 242 00:13:26,069 --> 00:13:28,020 Theo Kahler: So I have a lot of friends that have run 243 00:13:28,020 --> 00:13:31,980 Theo Kahler: the race before and obviously as a journalist I've covered the race every year. 244 00:13:32,010 --> 00:13:33,630 Theo Kahler: I think I've been at the race every year since 245 00:13:33,630 --> 00:13:39,150 Theo Kahler: 2022, so heard so much about it. But just from 246 00:13:39,150 --> 00:13:42,059 Theo Kahler: talking to some friends who are similar fitness to me, 247 00:13:42,059 --> 00:13:48,030 Theo Kahler: who've run similar times, I thought given if it's the 248 00:13:48,030 --> 00:13:51,600 Theo Kahler: quality of the field, I could finish anywhere from 30th to 60th. 249 00:13:52,230 --> 00:13:54,150 Theo Kahler: So I think top 50 was kind of my goal. 250 00:13:55,020 --> 00:13:57,599 Theo Kahler: So to finish 40, it was kind of exactly what I 251 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:01,020 Theo Kahler: was looking for. You never know how you're going to 252 00:14:01,020 --> 00:14:05,040 Theo Kahler: feel on race day and it's the marathon, there's hours 253 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,220 Theo Kahler: and hours if something could go wrong, but fortunately it 254 00:14:08,220 --> 00:14:12,630 Theo Kahler: worked out, and I also got a PR too. This was 255 00:14:12,630 --> 00:14:15,720 Theo Kahler: my third marathon overall. I've run Grandma's Marathon over the 256 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,590 Theo Kahler: summer and Indianapolis Marathon last fall. And so I've really been 257 00:14:19,590 --> 00:14:22,710 Theo Kahler: trying to take it kind of slow, and at Indianapolis, I 258 00:14:22,710 --> 00:14:25,739 Theo Kahler: really just wanted to have a good experience, not walk 259 00:14:25,740 --> 00:14:28,140 Theo Kahler: away from the marathon feeling like I blew up and 260 00:14:28,410 --> 00:14:31,920 Theo Kahler: had this terrible day and that was definitely mission accomplished there. So I ran 2: 261 00:14:32,610 --> 00:14:35,790 Theo Kahler: 27 there and then at Grandma's it was super, super 262 00:14:35,790 --> 00:14:39,480 Theo Kahler: humid. It was in the 70s with 90% humidity by the 263 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,660 Theo Kahler: end, and so that was more of... It can be 264 00:14:42,660 --> 00:14:45,210 Theo Kahler: a very fast race, but that was more of a get to the line, 265 00:14:46,650 --> 00:14:47,850 Theo Kahler: give it what you got on the day kind of 266 00:14:47,850 --> 00:14:50,790 Theo Kahler: thing. And so New York with the weather being good 267 00:14:50,790 --> 00:14:56,130 Theo Kahler: and kind of doing some scouting from coworkers or teammates 268 00:14:56,130 --> 00:14:58,710 Theo Kahler: or that kind of thing, I feel like I executed 269 00:14:58,710 --> 00:15:01,859 Theo Kahler: my race plan really well, and heard a lot of 270 00:15:01,860 --> 00:15:05,610 Theo Kahler: the same advice. Don't go too hard up the Verrazano, 271 00:15:06,570 --> 00:15:09,480 Theo Kahler: kind of don't get too excited in Brooklyn and then 272 00:15:09,810 --> 00:15:13,350 Theo Kahler: save something for that last 10k, and I feel like 273 00:15:13,350 --> 00:15:15,869 Theo Kahler: I heeded that advice. It was still tough, it was still a 274 00:15:15,870 --> 00:15:18,540 Theo Kahler: hard race. I gave everything I had, but I think 275 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,120 Theo Kahler: all things considered definitely a big success. 276 00:15:22,290 --> 00:15:25,979 Rob Simmelkjaer: I would say so. Absolutely. I liked your article, Theo, 277 00:15:25,980 --> 00:15:28,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: that you wrote after the marathon, it's in Runner's World. 278 00:15:28,590 --> 00:15:31,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: I recommend anybody check it out. It's called How I 279 00:15:31,260 --> 00:15:35,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: finished 40th in the New York City Marathon with a full- 280 00:15:35,610 --> 00:15:37,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: time job - you don't need to be a pro to 281 00:15:37,770 --> 00:15:42,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: dream big. And you talk about your kind running career 282 00:15:42,150 --> 00:15:46,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: and you divide it into two phases basically. The first 283 00:15:46,590 --> 00:15:49,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: was when you were a high school and a college runner and you were a 284 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:55,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: very competitive elite runner, ran at South Carolina, but at 285 00:15:55,170 --> 00:15:57,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: the end of that part of your running career, Theo, 286 00:15:57,750 --> 00:16:00,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: you didn't feel like maybe you had lived up to 287 00:16:00,690 --> 00:16:03,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: your potential. Talk about that phase a little bit and 288 00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:07,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: how you ended that and what that was like to 289 00:16:07,620 --> 00:16:10,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: be that kind of competitive runner, but maybe not feeling like 290 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:11,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: you had done everything you wanted to do. 291 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,050 Theo Kahler: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, so I mentioned the article, I 292 00:16:16,050 --> 00:16:18,900 Theo Kahler: kind of divide up my career into two and I 293 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,870 Theo Kahler: was actually kind of a late bloomer with competitive running 294 00:16:22,530 --> 00:16:24,510 Theo Kahler: in high school and stuff. I played soccer for a 295 00:16:24,510 --> 00:16:27,960 Theo Kahler: while. I wasn't very athletic, but I loved the team 296 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,510 Theo Kahler: element and I loved sports and I loved just being 297 00:16:30,510 --> 00:16:33,030 Theo Kahler: part of a team, but I was always pretty good 298 00:16:33,030 --> 00:16:36,630 Theo Kahler: at conditioning. And so I tried out for the cross- 299 00:16:36,630 --> 00:16:38,400 Theo Kahler: country team after I kind of saw the writing on 300 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,530 Theo Kahler: the wall that I wasn't going to be a professional 301 00:16:40,530 --> 00:16:42,990 Theo Kahler: soccer player, a college soccer player or anything like that. 302 00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:47,670 Theo Kahler: I was kind of riding the bench around JV. But 303 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,610 Theo Kahler: picked up cross- country really quickly and this was my 304 00:16:50,610 --> 00:16:53,910 Theo Kahler: junior year of high school, and so really just fell 305 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:56,520 Theo Kahler: in love with the sport and fell in love with the 306 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,220 Theo Kahler: progress you can see in running. The times are all 307 00:16:59,220 --> 00:17:02,760 Theo Kahler: out there, you can't really hide much, but it's also great 308 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:07,590 Theo Kahler: because you can run 20 minutes in a 5k one week, 309 00:17:07,590 --> 00:17:10,260 Theo Kahler: and then a few weeks later you're in 19 and then 18 and 310 00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:13,619 Theo Kahler: really getting down there. And so I really liked that 311 00:17:13,619 --> 00:17:17,460 Theo Kahler: part. So I improved. I made some all- state teams 312 00:17:17,460 --> 00:17:20,939 Theo Kahler: in South Carolina and then went to Winthrop University for 313 00:17:20,940 --> 00:17:24,720 Theo Kahler: undergrad, which is a mid- major Division 1 school kind 314 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,260 Theo Kahler: of in the Charlotte area and ran on the track 315 00:17:28,260 --> 00:17:32,730 Theo Kahler: team there, improved a lot. I graduated high school, I'd 316 00:17:32,730 --> 00:17:38,520 Theo Kahler: run about 16:30 in the 5k and then graduated Winthrop having run 14: 317 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:43,230 Theo Kahler: 24. And so I had some extra eligibility, because I 318 00:17:43,380 --> 00:17:46,859 Theo Kahler: studied abroad and graduated a semester early and so I 319 00:17:46,859 --> 00:17:50,010 Theo Kahler: had three extra semesters of eligibility. So I went to 320 00:17:50,010 --> 00:17:53,910 Theo Kahler: Wake Forest University for grad school and ran there, which 321 00:17:53,910 --> 00:17:58,619 Theo Kahler: is... They were just 12th at the NCAA championships a few days ago. 322 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,460 Theo Kahler: But unfortunately I kind of picked up a lingering injury 323 00:18:02,460 --> 00:18:05,790 Theo Kahler: from Winthrop and just kind of an overuse thing and 324 00:18:06,090 --> 00:18:08,700 Theo Kahler: just something that it was never one moment where I'm 325 00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:10,320 Theo Kahler: hurt, but I just had a lot of groin pain. 326 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:17,730 Theo Kahler: And so eventually during COVID I started Wake in January 327 00:18:17,730 --> 00:18:22,200 Theo Kahler: of 2020 and ended up having to get surgery and 328 00:18:22,260 --> 00:18:24,180 Theo Kahler: didn't really get to race and be part of that 329 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,570 Theo Kahler: high level team as much as I wanted. So I feel like I 330 00:18:27,570 --> 00:18:32,428 Theo Kahler: did get to PR, ended college with 14: 20 in 331 00:18:32,429 --> 00:18:35,700 Theo Kahler: the 5k when I first got to Wake, but I didn't PR the 332 00:18:35,850 --> 00:18:38,940 Theo Kahler: last three semesters and I was just kind of burned 333 00:18:38,940 --> 00:18:43,290 Theo Kahler: out. And it wasn't necessarily the coach's fault or the 334 00:18:43,290 --> 00:18:46,709 Theo Kahler: team's fault, but college running is so demanding and I 335 00:18:46,710 --> 00:18:49,560 Theo Kahler: definitely wasn't sleeping enough, I definitely wasn't probably eating as 336 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:53,550 Theo Kahler: healthy as I should have and you want to socialize 337 00:18:53,550 --> 00:18:56,280 Theo Kahler: and you got all these competing priorities, and so I 338 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,740 Theo Kahler: took a lot of time off after college and then 339 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:00,720 Theo Kahler: sort of waited for the hunger to come back, I 340 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:05,520 Theo Kahler: guess. I did a lot of cycling and even did 341 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,869 Theo Kahler: some racing and criterium racing for cycling, some road racing, 342 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,619 Theo Kahler: but I really kind of felt the call to come 343 00:19:13,619 --> 00:19:15,600 Theo Kahler: back to running. I just kind of missed it, I 344 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,740 Theo Kahler: missed seeing my buddies and I missed just kind of 345 00:19:19,740 --> 00:19:22,170 Theo Kahler: getting out there every day and having fun with it. 346 00:19:22,170 --> 00:19:26,670 Theo Kahler: And so I would say maybe since 2022 I've really 347 00:19:26,670 --> 00:19:29,879 Theo Kahler: started to train again and then really since 2023 I 348 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:34,500 Theo Kahler: think is when me and my coach, John Lupino, were 349 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:36,389 Theo Kahler: kind of like, " All right, let's see how far we 350 00:19:36,390 --> 00:19:38,550 Theo Kahler: can get with running again. Let's try this again and 351 00:19:38,550 --> 00:19:42,270 Theo Kahler: hopefully..." We're healthy now, we're stronger now. So yeah, this is 352 00:19:42,570 --> 00:19:43,230 Theo Kahler: my second act. 353 00:19:45,630 --> 00:19:49,530 Becs Gentry: Oh my goodness. It sounds like you've always had such a great drive and sense 354 00:19:49,530 --> 00:19:52,950 Becs Gentry: of discipline, I would say, even if you were being 355 00:19:52,950 --> 00:19:56,490 Becs Gentry: pulled in multiple directions when you're at college, but you're 356 00:19:56,490 --> 00:19:56,911 Becs Gentry: young, you're- 357 00:19:56,911 --> 00:19:58,140 Theo Kahler: Who isn't? Yeah. 358 00:19:58,140 --> 00:20:01,080 Becs Gentry: Exactly. Your life is about having fun and luckily for 359 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,859 Becs Gentry: you running was a part of that. So now you're 360 00:20:04,859 --> 00:20:10,169 Becs Gentry: grown up, you're fully grown up, you have responsibilities. Let's 361 00:20:10,170 --> 00:20:14,460 Becs Gentry: talk about how your article essentially, but let's talk about 362 00:20:14,460 --> 00:20:19,109 Becs Gentry: it here. How on earth do you manage your training 363 00:20:19,260 --> 00:20:22,649 Becs Gentry: to be at that elite level around a nine- to- 364 00:20:22,650 --> 00:20:23,790 Becs Gentry: five work schedule? 365 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,359 Theo Kahler: Yeah, I think flexibility is the biggest key and it's 366 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,090 Theo Kahler: something that you kind of have in college where you 367 00:20:30,090 --> 00:20:33,060 Theo Kahler: can pick which classes you want and you can study 368 00:20:33,060 --> 00:20:36,090 Theo Kahler: whenever you feel like you want to, but a nine- to- 369 00:20:36,090 --> 00:20:38,310 Theo Kahler: five is like you're on nine- to- five, you got 370 00:20:38,310 --> 00:20:40,920 Theo Kahler: to work around that a little bit. I would say 371 00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:44,850 Theo Kahler: luckily I'm not working on my feet all day. It 372 00:20:44,850 --> 00:20:47,550 Theo Kahler: is more of a desk job, and so I feel 373 00:20:47,550 --> 00:20:49,169 Theo Kahler: like I do get to save a little bit of 374 00:20:49,170 --> 00:20:54,180 Theo Kahler: energy that way. Runner's World is great. We test hundreds 375 00:20:54,180 --> 00:20:56,909 Theo Kahler: and hundreds of shoes among hundreds of wear testers and 376 00:20:56,910 --> 00:20:58,830 Theo Kahler: stuff, so I'm fortunate to help out our gear team 377 00:20:58,830 --> 00:21:02,790 Theo Kahler: with some shoe testing. So certainly a great perk. And 378 00:21:02,790 --> 00:21:05,640 Theo Kahler: my manager is never offended if I go out for a 379 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,590 Theo Kahler: lunch run or anything like that. That's kind of part 380 00:21:07,590 --> 00:21:11,730 Theo Kahler: of the territory. And it also is helpful for idea 381 00:21:11,730 --> 00:21:14,100 Theo Kahler: generation and coming up with some kind of first person 382 00:21:14,100 --> 00:21:17,639 Theo Kahler: articles just for my training. But I do a lot of my 383 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,340 Theo Kahler: running in the morning. I look pretty close to work 384 00:21:20,340 --> 00:21:22,140 Theo Kahler: so I don't really have to worry about a commute, 385 00:21:22,140 --> 00:21:24,960 Theo Kahler: which I've sort of planned when I moved from South 386 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:26,880 Theo Kahler: Carolina to Pennsylvania, I'm like, " if I'm going to move 387 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:28,350 Theo Kahler: this far, I'm going to be close to work. I'm 388 00:21:28,350 --> 00:21:30,480 Theo Kahler: not going to be driving an hour to work or 389 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,210 Theo Kahler: half an hour to work." So I do get to 390 00:21:33,210 --> 00:21:34,500 Theo Kahler: save a lot of time in the morning with the 391 00:21:34,500 --> 00:21:37,949 Theo Kahler: commute. But yeah, usually twice a week I'll do a 392 00:21:37,950 --> 00:21:43,439 Theo Kahler: workout, usually Tuesday, Friday in the morning on the roads 393 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,890 Theo Kahler: and then usually a Sunday- long run. During marathon training, 394 00:21:47,100 --> 00:21:49,619 Theo Kahler: sometimes that's more of a Tuesday, Wednesday workout and a 395 00:21:49,619 --> 00:21:52,710 Theo Kahler: harder Sunday- long run or Saturday- long run just to 396 00:21:52,710 --> 00:21:55,800 Theo Kahler: give myself plenty of time to recover. But without the college 397 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:00,090 Theo Kahler: racing schedule, I think I only race maybe four or 398 00:22:00,090 --> 00:22:02,490 Theo Kahler: five times this year that were really hard efforts, and 399 00:22:02,490 --> 00:22:04,530 Theo Kahler: so it's not like college where every two weeks you 400 00:22:04,530 --> 00:22:06,990 Theo Kahler: got to get back out there and you're running it as 401 00:22:06,990 --> 00:22:08,879 Theo Kahler: fast as you can and if you don't, you're like, " Well, 402 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,900 Theo Kahler: I got to get better." And so I like being 403 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:17,280 Theo Kahler: able to spread out racing a little bit. I mentioned 404 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,770 Theo Kahler: John Lupino, my coach, he was one of my good 405 00:22:19,770 --> 00:22:22,320 Theo Kahler: friends at Wake Forest. He's an assistant coach there now. 406 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:25,649 Theo Kahler: So we're very much on the same page of how 407 00:22:25,650 --> 00:22:27,930 Theo Kahler: much recovery I need and if I need to take 408 00:22:27,930 --> 00:22:30,720 Theo Kahler: an extra day, we're not afraid. So we're definitely taking 409 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:35,460 Theo Kahler: a long- term approach and less is more is sort 410 00:22:35,460 --> 00:22:39,270 Theo Kahler: of our approach. Each marathon block, we're trying to kind 411 00:22:39,270 --> 00:22:42,600 Theo Kahler: of raise the stakes a little bit, but not rushing 412 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,590 Theo Kahler: things helps a lot. But I will say during travel, 413 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,350 Theo Kahler: if I'm covering a race like New York or one 414 00:22:49,350 --> 00:22:54,030 Theo Kahler: of the other marathon majors or track meets, I don't 415 00:22:54,030 --> 00:22:56,220 Theo Kahler: always get in high quality training. I have to go 416 00:22:56,220 --> 00:22:58,650 Theo Kahler: into those races saying like, " Well, this three or four 417 00:22:58,650 --> 00:23:01,560 Theo Kahler: day stretch, let's get in what we can. Let's see 418 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,400 Theo Kahler: some sites. Maybe we get in a mini little session 419 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,380 Theo Kahler: in the morning or something or right before I leave, 420 00:23:07,590 --> 00:23:09,960 Theo Kahler: get on the plane." But a lot of those, it's 421 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:15,150 Theo Kahler: pretty hard to... With travel and trying to stay healthy, 422 00:23:15,330 --> 00:23:17,730 Theo Kahler: not getting sick and being around a lot of people, 423 00:23:17,730 --> 00:23:22,050 Theo Kahler: I kind of have to pick my battles sometimes with 424 00:23:22,050 --> 00:23:22,650 Theo Kahler: work trips. 425 00:23:22,830 --> 00:23:26,669 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, and that's really kind of the lesson of your story 426 00:23:26,670 --> 00:23:29,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: in the article you wrote, Theo, which is there are 427 00:23:29,490 --> 00:23:33,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: ways to do this and to get faster and whatever 428 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: your goals may be, whether they're finishing in the top 429 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,389 Rob Simmelkjaer: 50 in the New York City Marathon, which is a 430 00:23:39,390 --> 00:23:43,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: pretty lofty goal, or just running your first sub three 431 00:23:43,410 --> 00:23:45,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: or first sub four, whatever it might for a runner 432 00:23:45,570 --> 00:23:50,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: out there, it's possible to balance these things with a full- 433 00:23:50,010 --> 00:23:52,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: time job. You just have to give yourself the grace 434 00:23:52,530 --> 00:23:55,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: and the flexibility. And you talked about how this chapter 435 00:23:55,590 --> 00:23:58,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: of your running career in a way is easier than 436 00:23:58,410 --> 00:24:00,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: it was when you were in college because you can 437 00:24:00,060 --> 00:24:03,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: move your workouts around and you can have that flexibility 438 00:24:03,030 --> 00:24:05,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: to do what you need to do when you can 439 00:24:05,790 --> 00:24:06,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: do it. 440 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,560 Theo Kahler: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, flexibility is key and having a lot 441 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,680 Theo Kahler: of agency I think and a coach who understands that is 442 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,680 Theo Kahler: very helpful. But yeah, I'm always out there. I'm not 443 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,960 Theo Kahler: always able to go to trivia on a Wednesday night 444 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,210 Theo Kahler: and have a few beers. Sometimes I got to be like, " 445 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,600 Theo Kahler: I go to bed at 9:00 or 9: 30 and get my 446 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,230 Theo Kahler: sleep." I'm very precious about my sleep. So that's something 447 00:24:28,230 --> 00:24:29,910 Theo Kahler: I think I learned in college. I was not doing 448 00:24:29,910 --> 00:24:31,859 Theo Kahler: enough. I think I was getting more six or seven 449 00:24:31,859 --> 00:24:34,800 Theo Kahler: hours and I've just learned from my body, eight to 450 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:36,869 Theo Kahler: nine is kind of what I need, especially when I'm 451 00:24:36,869 --> 00:24:41,760 Theo Kahler: running 75, 80 miles a week. Luckily that's helped me stay 452 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,700 Theo Kahler: healthy too. But you have to say no to a 453 00:24:44,700 --> 00:24:48,180 Theo Kahler: lot of things sometimes, especially during the height of training. 454 00:24:48,180 --> 00:24:51,240 Theo Kahler: So after races, I try to hang out with my 455 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,109 Theo Kahler: friends a little bit more and let loose a little 456 00:24:55,109 --> 00:24:58,139 Theo Kahler: bit. So you don't want to burn out mentally either. 457 00:24:58,530 --> 00:25:01,740 Becs Gentry: No, exactly. I love what you said earlier that you 458 00:25:01,740 --> 00:25:06,389 Becs Gentry: and your coach are thinking about the long- term instead 459 00:25:06,390 --> 00:25:09,359 Becs Gentry: of training for the short- term, which is I'm sure 460 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:13,919 Becs Gentry: you've seen in your role as a running sports journalist, 461 00:25:14,730 --> 00:25:18,119 Becs Gentry: it is a problem right now with a lot of 462 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:24,869 Becs Gentry: people because they are training so intensely around having a full- 463 00:25:24,869 --> 00:25:28,020 Becs Gentry: time job. Running isn't their full- time job and they 464 00:25:28,020 --> 00:25:33,810 Becs Gentry: are doing every single race, which yes, Rob's like, " Yes, 465 00:25:34,050 --> 00:25:39,330 Becs Gentry: yes, everybody do all the races," but really no, because for the long- 466 00:25:39,330 --> 00:25:41,879 Becs Gentry: term goals for your body, that is not good. It 467 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,990 Becs Gentry: is not safe. And you had, it was hip surgery 468 00:25:45,990 --> 00:25:47,280 Becs Gentry: when you were at college? 469 00:25:47,790 --> 00:25:47,879 Theo Kahler: Mm- hmm. 470 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:51,869 Becs Gentry: You've experienced that setback, that annoyance that's come from training 471 00:25:51,869 --> 00:25:55,140 Becs Gentry: too hard. So how as a running journalist, how do 472 00:25:55,140 --> 00:25:58,619 Becs Gentry: you see the change in culture of running from not 473 00:25:58,619 --> 00:26:02,399 Becs Gentry: nothing but a subculture to a huge culture and now 474 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,010 Becs Gentry: this I hope shift to longevity? 475 00:26:05,970 --> 00:26:08,700 Theo Kahler: Yeah. I mean, I think it comes down to what you're trying to get 476 00:26:08,700 --> 00:26:12,990 Theo Kahler: out of the sport. My personal running, I come from more 477 00:26:12,990 --> 00:26:15,720 Theo Kahler: of a competitive background and so I'm very oriented by 478 00:26:16,890 --> 00:26:20,130 Theo Kahler: goals for the current training cycle or longer term goals, 479 00:26:20,850 --> 00:26:23,730 Theo Kahler: like me and my coach are trying to qualify, or 480 00:26:23,730 --> 00:26:25,920 Theo Kahler: I guess I am... He's helping me trying to qualify 481 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:29,640 Theo Kahler: for the Olympic trials in 2028, which would be 2: 482 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,970 Theo Kahler: 16, but I'm a ways off that, and so we 483 00:26:32,970 --> 00:26:35,790 Theo Kahler: know if we want to get there, we might have 484 00:26:35,790 --> 00:26:42,210 Theo Kahler: to sacrifice some races and maybe turn down a few 485 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:47,970 Theo Kahler: things. I think I raced a road mile in May 486 00:26:47,970 --> 00:26:51,840 Theo Kahler: before Grandma's Marathon and it's like my hometown race. I 487 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:53,730 Theo Kahler: love that race so much. There was prize money and 488 00:26:53,730 --> 00:26:55,290 Theo Kahler: stuff, and so I was like, "Okay, I want to go 489 00:26:55,290 --> 00:26:56,940 Theo Kahler: out there and just see what I can do." I'm 490 00:26:56,940 --> 00:27:00,119 Theo Kahler: training for a marathon and this is going to be a mile 491 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,590 Theo Kahler: road race, so the complete opposite. He knew I was 492 00:27:04,590 --> 00:27:07,139 Theo Kahler: going to run it and I think in the moment during the race 493 00:27:07,410 --> 00:27:11,159 Theo Kahler: I kind of ran it a little too hard, and 494 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:15,780 Theo Kahler: after I was like, "Okay, you might've been right. Maybe we shouldn't 495 00:27:15,780 --> 00:27:17,670 Theo Kahler: have done that. That was probably a little risky." I want 496 00:27:17,670 --> 00:27:19,770 Theo Kahler: to say I had maybe a little hamstring thing or 497 00:27:19,770 --> 00:27:25,800 Theo Kahler: something after that. And so I think learning what's the A goal 498 00:27:26,250 --> 00:27:29,220 Theo Kahler: and then what are some goals that are like would 499 00:27:29,220 --> 00:27:32,040 Theo Kahler: be nice, but maybe we can move those in favor 500 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,730 Theo Kahler: of the A goal. So that's how we train. I 501 00:27:35,730 --> 00:27:38,340 Theo Kahler: mean, there's also people out here who in our office 502 00:27:38,340 --> 00:27:43,050 Theo Kahler: even who doing a park run every week or doing 503 00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:48,000 Theo Kahler: a lot of races. They enjoy it. They're not going 504 00:27:49,140 --> 00:27:51,659 Theo Kahler: as hard as possible, they're more just in it for the social 505 00:27:51,660 --> 00:27:55,020 Theo Kahler: aspect. And so I think what's great about running is you have 506 00:27:55,020 --> 00:28:00,899 Theo Kahler: these different kind of approaches to the sport, whether it's 507 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:07,500 Theo Kahler: fitness or recreational or socializing or competitiveness. Yeah, I would 508 00:28:07,500 --> 00:28:11,129 Theo Kahler: encourage people to, if they are going to focus on 509 00:28:11,130 --> 00:28:15,959 Theo Kahler: performance and a long- term goal, really have that goal 510 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,840 Theo Kahler: in the back of your mind with... I don't want 511 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,300 Theo Kahler: to say every decision you make, but in a way, 512 00:28:21,420 --> 00:28:24,929 Theo Kahler: yes, that's kind of how I think. But it's also 513 00:28:24,930 --> 00:28:27,449 Theo Kahler: kind of helpful to have a long- term goal, especially 514 00:28:27,450 --> 00:28:31,710 Theo Kahler: years down the road where you're like, " Okay, this race 515 00:28:31,710 --> 00:28:34,199 Theo Kahler: this weekend or this race in a few months, if 516 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:35,520 Theo Kahler: it doesn't go great, it's not the end of the 517 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,880 Theo Kahler: world." That's not the main goal. You've got time to 518 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:39,031 Theo Kahler: work with. 519 00:28:39,031 --> 00:28:44,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: I like that. I like that. That way you're not putting too much pressure 520 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: on any one race or any one event because listen, 521 00:28:47,850 --> 00:28:50,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: races don't always go according to plan. Your race did 522 00:28:50,670 --> 00:28:54,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: on November 2nd, but they don't, whether it's weather or 523 00:28:54,780 --> 00:28:58,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: how you're feeling that day or whatever happens. I mean, 524 00:28:58,050 --> 00:29:02,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: marathons in particular are just so predictable given the challenge 525 00:29:02,550 --> 00:29:05,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: of that distance. I want to talk about the journalism 526 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: side a little bit, Theo. You work for Runner's World, 527 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: which is kind of the bible of running. It's been 528 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: around for quite a long time, I think since the 529 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: '70s it's been covering this sport. And what's it like 530 00:29:18,630 --> 00:29:21,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: to have that bird's eye view of the sport of 531 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: running? You cover the professional side, but you also write 532 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:27,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: these first person articles, which give people a sense of 533 00:29:28,470 --> 00:29:30,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: how you run and what it's like to be someone at 534 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:35,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: your level and the way you run and train. What's it like 535 00:29:35,340 --> 00:29:37,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: to have that spot in the industry? 536 00:29:38,070 --> 00:29:42,120 Theo Kahler: Yeah, I mean, it is definitely an honor to work for such a storied 537 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:48,690 Theo Kahler: publication. I feel very fortunate that they hired me in 2021 538 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,530 Theo Kahler: when I was coming out of school. But I think 539 00:29:52,530 --> 00:29:55,590 Theo Kahler: it's given me a lot of perspective because I did 540 00:29:55,590 --> 00:29:59,730 Theo Kahler: mention, I came from more of a competitive sort of performance- 541 00:29:59,730 --> 00:30:04,080 Theo Kahler: driven background, but I see... We're going out for lunch 542 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,720 Theo Kahler: runs and stuff and there's people who are maybe just 543 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,950 Theo Kahler: trying to get back into shape, don't care about their 544 00:30:10,950 --> 00:30:14,880 Theo Kahler: pace, don't care about their 5k time, and really just 545 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,940 Theo Kahler: love running because they love running. And so I think 546 00:30:17,940 --> 00:30:24,570 Theo Kahler: that's really helpful perspective where I realized that there's not 547 00:30:24,570 --> 00:30:27,510 Theo Kahler: one way to enjoy running, there's not one way to 548 00:30:28,050 --> 00:30:32,670 Theo Kahler: be a runner. I think that's something we try to 549 00:30:32,670 --> 00:30:35,670 Theo Kahler: celebrate a lot with Runner's World. I do cover the 550 00:30:35,670 --> 00:30:38,040 Theo Kahler: professional side of the sport as a news editor, but that's 551 00:30:39,450 --> 00:30:42,750 Theo Kahler: not my only beat, and I would say we cover 552 00:30:42,750 --> 00:30:49,350 Theo Kahler: a pretty large breadth of running, so it might be Western 553 00:30:49,350 --> 00:30:52,709 Theo Kahler: States, like 100 mile ultra marathon, it might be the 554 00:30:52,710 --> 00:30:57,150 Theo Kahler: 5th Avenue Mile, it might be a track race. We covered some sprinting 555 00:30:57,150 --> 00:31:00,570 Theo Kahler: as well. And so it's cool to learn about a 556 00:31:00,570 --> 00:31:02,730 Theo Kahler: lot of different sides of running I didn't even realize 557 00:31:02,730 --> 00:31:05,220 Theo Kahler: were out there. Ultra running was not something that was 558 00:31:05,220 --> 00:31:09,390 Theo Kahler: on my radar when I was running the mile in 559 00:31:09,390 --> 00:31:12,720 Theo Kahler: college or anything, but there's some really incredible stories out 560 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,750 Theo Kahler: there and it's a lot of fun trying to find those 561 00:31:15,750 --> 00:31:19,620 Theo Kahler: stories and poke around online and social media and call 562 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:22,650 Theo Kahler: people and talk to people and uncover some of that kind of 563 00:31:22,650 --> 00:31:27,030 Theo Kahler: stuff. So yeah, it's fun. It's a perfect job for 564 00:31:27,030 --> 00:31:30,090 Theo Kahler: a running nerd like myself. I feel very fortunate to get to do it. 565 00:31:30,990 --> 00:31:33,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: What's been your favorite story so far that you've written 566 00:31:34,230 --> 00:31:37,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: for Runner's World, one that everybody should read, if there's 567 00:31:37,170 --> 00:31:38,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: one Theo Kahler story? 568 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,361 Theo Kahler: Oh, man. About myself or about someone else? 569 00:31:42,361 --> 00:31:45,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: Just in general, something about an event or somebody else. What's been your favorite 570 00:31:45,090 --> 00:31:46,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: article so far that you've written? 571 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:52,709 Theo Kahler: Oh, man. One of the ones with I guess the 572 00:31:52,710 --> 00:31:56,489 Theo Kahler: most reporting... This is kind of a little boring, but it 573 00:31:56,490 --> 00:32:00,630 Theo Kahler: was about the NCAA house settlement last year or this past 574 00:32:00,630 --> 00:32:08,880 Theo Kahler: year and how NCAA schools are... It's like a thorny 575 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:10,410 Theo Kahler: legal settlement, so I don't want to- 576 00:32:10,650 --> 00:32:13,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: About the whole pro athlete situation and money to athletes 577 00:32:13,710 --> 00:32:14,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: and all that stuff? 578 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,040 Theo Kahler: Yeah, kind of like paying college athletes and it just took 579 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:18,931 Theo Kahler: a lot of reporting and a lot of background and- 580 00:32:18,931 --> 00:32:21,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: So you sound like a reporter, you like to get 581 00:32:21,420 --> 00:32:23,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: in there and dig in and really do the reporting 582 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:26,971 Rob Simmelkjaer: with sources and all that stuff? 583 00:32:26,971 --> 00:32:29,250 Theo Kahler: Yeah. That was a fun one because I don't come from a legal 584 00:32:29,250 --> 00:32:33,600 Theo Kahler: background, but just sitting in on polls and doing a 585 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,220 Theo Kahler: lot of research myself, I feel like I learned a 586 00:32:35,220 --> 00:32:38,250 Theo Kahler: lot about a subject that's very complicated and kind of 587 00:32:38,250 --> 00:32:41,730 Theo Kahler: hard to explain, but there've been a lot of implications about 588 00:32:41,730 --> 00:32:45,270 Theo Kahler: the settlement in the NCAA. Some schools have had to cut 589 00:32:45,270 --> 00:32:50,430 Theo Kahler: their rosters and there's a lot of ripple effects. And 590 00:32:50,430 --> 00:32:53,340 Theo Kahler: so I feel like it's fun to take a complicated issue and try 591 00:32:53,340 --> 00:32:56,430 Theo Kahler: to explain it to the readers as best you can, 592 00:32:56,430 --> 00:32:59,340 Theo Kahler: and I feel like I definitely excel more in written 593 00:32:59,340 --> 00:33:04,920 Theo Kahler: form than maybe explaining things out loud sometimes, but yeah. So I'm not a 594 00:33:06,390 --> 00:33:07,440 Theo Kahler: podcast host like you guys. 595 00:33:09,180 --> 00:33:09,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: You're doing great. 596 00:33:09,660 --> 00:33:12,480 Becs Gentry: I've got a kind of selfish question I really want 597 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:18,240 Becs Gentry: to know is as you are climbing up on your 598 00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:21,120 Becs Gentry: professional running career with that goal, as you said of 599 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:26,940 Becs Gentry: the 2: 16 OTQ, up ahead, when you go to 600 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:32,160 Becs Gentry: cover running events and you're not running, are you taking 601 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:36,121 Becs Gentry: tips, tricks, looking at your potential competition, anything like that? 602 00:33:36,121 --> 00:33:41,040 Theo Kahler: Okay, so I would say... And there's sort of debate on 603 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,650 Theo Kahler: this in the running community, but I would say I'm in the sub- 604 00:33:43,650 --> 00:33:46,410 Theo Kahler: elite category, and so a lot of my friends and 605 00:33:46,410 --> 00:33:48,930 Theo Kahler: I kind of differentiate it where you have the professional athletes 606 00:33:48,930 --> 00:33:51,690 Theo Kahler: who are the ones getting paid, they're getting appearance fees. 607 00:33:53,370 --> 00:33:54,780 Theo Kahler: These are the people in the top 10 of the 608 00:33:54,780 --> 00:33:56,820 Theo Kahler: race kind of thing, and then you have sort of 609 00:33:56,820 --> 00:33:59,130 Theo Kahler: the next group, the sub- elite, which is kind of 610 00:33:59,130 --> 00:34:02,160 Theo Kahler: what I'm in. And then New York, the marathon even 611 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,560 Theo Kahler: has a sub- elite start, which I was fortunate to 612 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,470 Theo Kahler: get a part of, and you get to be out 613 00:34:07,470 --> 00:34:11,040 Theo Kahler: in the at Ocean Breeze track in Staten Island and 614 00:34:11,219 --> 00:34:15,779 Theo Kahler: you're warming up with Eliud Kipchoge and all these professional athletes, 615 00:34:15,780 --> 00:34:18,569 Theo Kahler: which is pretty crazy. And I got to start in wave 616 00:34:18,570 --> 00:34:20,820 Theo Kahler: one at the very front, and so there was a 617 00:34:20,820 --> 00:34:22,800 Theo Kahler: TV camera in my face and people were sending me 618 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:27,360 Theo Kahler: screenshots. So I would say I'm more focused on kind 619 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:31,020 Theo Kahler: of racing the people in that sub- elite category, I would 620 00:34:31,020 --> 00:34:38,040 Theo Kahler: say, and luckily with the running community, they're all super nice 621 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:44,640 Theo Kahler: people. I see a lot of the same faces at these races, and so 622 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:47,340 Theo Kahler: I feel like even when you're racing them, it's like 623 00:34:47,670 --> 00:34:51,060 Theo Kahler: let's lift each other up sort of thing, and if 624 00:34:51,060 --> 00:34:52,410 Theo Kahler: you have a good day and I have a bad 625 00:34:52,410 --> 00:34:54,930 Theo Kahler: day, I'm still super happy for you, even if you 626 00:34:54,930 --> 00:34:56,730 Theo Kahler: beat me and even if maybe I wanted to beat 627 00:34:56,730 --> 00:35:01,170 Theo Kahler: you. So yeah, I'm always picking people's brain about training 628 00:35:01,170 --> 00:35:05,730 Theo Kahler: and trying to make connections and sometimes I come up with story ideas 629 00:35:06,750 --> 00:35:08,370 Theo Kahler: just from racing people. 630 00:35:08,730 --> 00:35:12,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: Theo, you talk about your next goal, which is that 631 00:35:12,150 --> 00:35:16,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: OTQ, that Olympic trials qualifying time, which is 2: 16 632 00:35:16,980 --> 00:35:20,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: for you. You're a 2: 24 in New York, which is 633 00:35:20,310 --> 00:35:23,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: a hard course. Do you think that's attainable? What do you 634 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: think it would take for you to shave off those 635 00:35:26,610 --> 00:35:28,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: eight minutes to get into the Olympic trials? 636 00:35:29,820 --> 00:35:32,520 Theo Kahler: Yeah, eight minutes is certainly a lot, especially in the 637 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,420 Theo Kahler: marathon and especially when you get faster and faster and 638 00:35:36,420 --> 00:35:39,450 Theo Kahler: down in that range. I do think it's attainable though. 639 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:43,620 Theo Kahler: And like you mentioned, New York is a pretty tough course. 640 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:46,500 Theo Kahler: I also ran a lot of that by myself, and 641 00:35:46,500 --> 00:35:49,290 Theo Kahler: so I think if I had some competition, that always 642 00:35:49,290 --> 00:35:53,160 Theo Kahler: helps kind of pushing each other. I plan next year 643 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,950 Theo Kahler: to run some faster races, some more time trial- y 644 00:35:56,100 --> 00:35:59,850 Theo Kahler: flat races. So I'm going to run the McKirdy Trained 645 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:03,719 Theo Kahler: Micro Marathon in New York State at Rockland Lake State 646 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,660 Theo Kahler: Park, which is a three- mile flat loop, which is 647 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:09,960 Theo Kahler: basically just set up to get the OTQ. I don't 648 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,839 Theo Kahler: think I'm going to get it the first time. I think getting under 2: 649 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,750 Theo Kahler: 20 is kind of the first step, but I think in 650 00:36:15,750 --> 00:36:18,540 Theo Kahler: the next few years, because I have until the end 651 00:36:18,540 --> 00:36:23,790 Theo Kahler: of 2027 essentially to get it. I think that's still 652 00:36:23,790 --> 00:36:26,040 Theo Kahler: two more years, and I've only done three marathons and 653 00:36:27,300 --> 00:36:29,880 Theo Kahler: I haven't done a super flat fast one yet. So 654 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:31,950 Theo Kahler: I'm excited to see where I can get, but I 655 00:36:31,950 --> 00:36:33,840 Theo Kahler: think it is going to take maybe a bit of risk- 656 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:37,830 Theo Kahler: taking and probably some luck, probably some good weather, like 657 00:36:37,830 --> 00:36:41,850 Theo Kahler: any good PR does. But yeah, that's fuel me and 658 00:36:41,850 --> 00:36:44,009 Theo Kahler: if I don't get it, I think at the very 659 00:36:44,010 --> 00:36:47,219 Theo Kahler: least I'm going to find my marathon potential in the 660 00:36:47,219 --> 00:36:51,270 Theo Kahler: next two years and hopefully be satisfied with it. 661 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:53,880 Becs Gentry: Oh my gosh, what a goal though as well. I 662 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:57,360 Becs Gentry: mean, as you say, eight minutes does not seem like 663 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,850 Becs Gentry: much if you don't know about running, and then if 664 00:36:59,850 --> 00:37:02,850 Becs Gentry: you know anything about running, you realize, oh my goodness 665 00:37:02,850 --> 00:37:08,040 Becs Gentry: me, that's a mile and a half off for your 666 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:10,379 Becs Gentry: kind of speed that you are running. I mean, that's just 667 00:37:10,380 --> 00:37:15,180 Becs Gentry: absurd. Talk to us a little bit about the camaraderie 668 00:37:15,180 --> 00:37:18,030 Becs Gentry: that you feel and that would, as you said, you 669 00:37:18,030 --> 00:37:21,989 Becs Gentry: might not get it at the McKirdy track because you might 670 00:37:21,989 --> 00:37:24,390 Becs Gentry: be alone and you were alone in New York, and 671 00:37:24,390 --> 00:37:30,989 Becs Gentry: it's just what is that vibe, that feeling that differentiates 672 00:37:30,989 --> 00:37:34,469 Becs Gentry: between the power you have solo or the lesser power 673 00:37:34,620 --> 00:37:38,730 Becs Gentry: you maybe have solo versus that pack mentality when you're running? 674 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:44,310 Theo Kahler: Yeah, yeah. I love running with people. In my current training, 675 00:37:44,310 --> 00:37:47,969 Theo Kahler: I train a lot with my friend Shane, but I 676 00:37:47,969 --> 00:37:50,520 Theo Kahler: live in a smaller city and I don't have a 677 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:52,440 Theo Kahler: car too, so it's a little harder for me to 678 00:37:53,489 --> 00:37:56,430 Theo Kahler: go meet up with people, especially before at work. Excuse 679 00:37:56,430 --> 00:37:59,489 Theo Kahler: me. So I'm kind of used to running by myself 680 00:37:59,489 --> 00:38:02,610 Theo Kahler: or maybe with one other person. So I kind of 681 00:38:02,610 --> 00:38:05,219 Theo Kahler: view if I have people in a race, great, that's 682 00:38:05,219 --> 00:38:09,900 Theo Kahler: a superpower. That's something that's going to take my pace 683 00:38:09,900 --> 00:38:11,790 Theo Kahler: to the next level and kind of keep me accountable, 684 00:38:11,790 --> 00:38:15,299 Theo Kahler: but there's plenty of instances where I have found myself 685 00:38:15,300 --> 00:38:18,600 Theo Kahler: solo in a race and you still got to finish 686 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:20,070 Theo Kahler: the race and that you can't let that be an 687 00:38:20,070 --> 00:38:24,450 Theo Kahler: excuse. And luckily in New York, you have thousands of 688 00:38:24,450 --> 00:38:27,239 Theo Kahler: people cheering for you. I had some friends and family 689 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:30,660 Theo Kahler: along the way that I saw, and I think because 690 00:38:30,660 --> 00:38:34,770 Theo Kahler: I went out not too hot, I was reeling people 691 00:38:34,770 --> 00:38:40,140 Theo Kahler: in one by one more that second half. And so 692 00:38:40,620 --> 00:38:42,540 Theo Kahler: that's nice when you can look ahead and be like, " 693 00:38:42,540 --> 00:38:44,400 Theo Kahler: Oh, I'm going to get pink shirt. I'm going to get pink shirt 694 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:46,290 Theo Kahler: in the next mile," and- 695 00:38:46,290 --> 00:38:49,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: Doesn't that feel so much better than looking behind you 696 00:38:49,859 --> 00:38:53,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: and knowing somebody's reeling you in? It is just a completely different feeling? 697 00:38:53,940 --> 00:38:54,330 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 698 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,690 Theo Kahler: Oh, yeah. And I've been pink shirt before. I've been getting chased 699 00:38:57,690 --> 00:39:00,989 Theo Kahler: down, and once you pass someone, you got to assume 700 00:39:00,989 --> 00:39:03,360 Theo Kahler: they're going to come right back to you. But at 701 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:05,489 Theo Kahler: New York, it was great because I would say the 702 00:39:05,489 --> 00:39:08,370 Theo Kahler: last mile and a half, there was this guy who 703 00:39:08,370 --> 00:39:10,830 Theo Kahler: I actually met in Staten Island in the sub- elite 704 00:39:10,830 --> 00:39:14,580 Theo Kahler: field, and he came up on me at the end 705 00:39:14,580 --> 00:39:17,219 Theo Kahler: and I was so ready to be done. I was like, " 706 00:39:17,219 --> 00:39:19,440 Theo Kahler: My legs..." I felt like I was running in jello 707 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,940 Theo Kahler: or something, and soaking it in, but I was like, " I am at 708 00:39:23,940 --> 00:39:27,870 Theo Kahler: my limit here." We were back and forth, back and 709 00:39:27,870 --> 00:39:31,500 Theo Kahler: forth this last mile. I have a pair of Meta 710 00:39:31,500 --> 00:39:34,290 Theo Kahler: glasses that can record video and I kind of didn't 711 00:39:34,290 --> 00:39:36,149 Theo Kahler: realize it in the moment, but I was filming it, 712 00:39:36,210 --> 00:39:38,580 Theo Kahler: and so I posted a TikTok after the race. So 713 00:39:38,580 --> 00:39:40,890 Theo Kahler: if you want to see our battle at the end... 714 00:39:42,210 --> 00:39:44,280 Theo Kahler: But we were going back and forth and I think 715 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:47,340 Theo Kahler: I probably would've run 20 or 30 seconds slower that last mile 716 00:39:47,340 --> 00:39:51,330 Theo Kahler: if he hadn't been next to me and ended up 717 00:39:51,330 --> 00:39:53,190 Theo Kahler: getting him at the end. But I honestly wouldn't have 718 00:39:53,190 --> 00:39:54,630 Theo Kahler: cared if he got me at the end because I 719 00:39:54,630 --> 00:39:57,000 Theo Kahler: knew we pushed each other to a better time and 720 00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,549 Theo Kahler: stuff. Especially after running a lot solo, when you do 721 00:39:59,550 --> 00:40:02,310 Theo Kahler: have someone come up on you, you got to make 722 00:40:02,310 --> 00:40:02,641 Theo Kahler: the most of it. 723 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: Did you have a chance to talk to him after the finish line at all, or? 724 00:40:07,290 --> 00:40:12,000 Theo Kahler: I gave him a little fist bump and we kind of hugged each other, but we were 725 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:16,830 Theo Kahler: both just trying to stay upright and get our medal, 726 00:40:16,830 --> 00:40:20,790 Theo Kahler: get some water, and get off our feet. So that was fun. Exactly, yeah. 727 00:40:23,190 --> 00:40:26,790 Becs Gentry: I had a similar for my... I qualified for the 728 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:32,219 Becs Gentry: UK Olympic trials and when I had my Olympic trials race, I was 729 00:40:32,580 --> 00:40:37,020 Becs Gentry: pretty solo until right at the last second when I 730 00:40:37,020 --> 00:40:41,280 Becs Gentry: just heard Rosie coming up behind me and similar, she 731 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:44,190 Becs Gentry: screamed at me, she was like, " Just keep running," because 732 00:40:44,190 --> 00:40:45,900 Becs Gentry: she did not want to overtake me right at the 733 00:40:45,900 --> 00:40:49,050 Becs Gentry: line. But yeah, I feel you. My legs were jello, 734 00:40:49,050 --> 00:40:51,960 Becs Gentry: I had absolutely nothing left, and I felt nothing but 735 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:55,109 Becs Gentry: love and respect for her. There was no... So many 736 00:40:55,110 --> 00:40:57,330 Becs Gentry: people were like, " Oh my gosh, did that hurt your 737 00:40:57,330 --> 00:41:01,260 Becs Gentry: feelings?" I was like, " Absolutely not." She had it in 738 00:41:01,260 --> 00:41:04,110 Becs Gentry: the tank, I didn't. That's cool. We just did something 739 00:41:04,110 --> 00:41:06,960 Becs Gentry: wild together. So I'm definitely going to go and find 740 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,780 Becs Gentry: your TikTok because that sounds like a fun watch. 741 00:41:11,100 --> 00:41:14,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: Theo, I read another article that you wrote on Runner's 742 00:41:14,070 --> 00:41:16,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: World since the New York City Marathon, which was about 743 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:20,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: your first run back after the marathon, which I thought was 744 00:41:20,219 --> 00:41:23,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: interesting actually. I think a lot of people might enjoy listening to. I 745 00:41:23,610 --> 00:41:26,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: imagine a lot of our listeners, if they ran New 746 00:41:26,730 --> 00:41:29,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: York, now we're a few weeks down the road, they 747 00:41:29,100 --> 00:41:30,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: probably have started running a little bit again, or maybe 748 00:41:30,930 --> 00:41:34,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: they're still taking time off. What was it like for 749 00:41:34,230 --> 00:41:37,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: you to take that time off and then get back 750 00:41:37,110 --> 00:41:41,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: into running, and how are you kind of reintroducing running 751 00:41:41,670 --> 00:41:44,549 Rob Simmelkjaer: to your body and to your schedule a few weeks 752 00:41:44,550 --> 00:41:45,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: after New York? 753 00:41:46,260 --> 00:41:49,110 Theo Kahler: Yeah, so usually what I do after a marathon is 754 00:41:49,110 --> 00:41:52,710 Theo Kahler: I'll take the next week completely off and the week 755 00:41:52,710 --> 00:41:55,109 Theo Kahler: after that kind of just running as I feel, maybe 756 00:41:55,110 --> 00:41:59,160 Theo Kahler: like 20 minutes here, three or four miles there, that 757 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:03,540 Theo Kahler: kind of thing. Unfortunately, I got a cold immediately after 758 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:09,359 Theo Kahler: New York. I was joking that one subway ride was 759 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:12,270 Theo Kahler: enough for my immune system after a marathon. 760 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:14,759 Becs Gentry: Especially when you don't commute normally, yes. 761 00:42:14,759 --> 00:42:20,280 Theo Kahler: Yeah, we don't have a subway in this part of Pennsylvania. So I did get sick, so I 762 00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:23,100 Theo Kahler: didn't get to go out and party all week or 763 00:42:23,100 --> 00:42:28,350 Theo Kahler: anything like that. But yeah, that first run back, I 764 00:42:28,350 --> 00:42:31,230 Theo Kahler: think it's kind of fun after a marathon because you 765 00:42:31,230 --> 00:42:35,339 Theo Kahler: know you're going to feel bad. I usually feel so 766 00:42:35,340 --> 00:42:37,469 Theo Kahler: bad that I'm like, " I feel like I have never 767 00:42:37,469 --> 00:42:40,290 Theo Kahler: run before and this is the first time..." I'm getting off 768 00:42:40,290 --> 00:42:43,590 Theo Kahler: the couch for the first time. And it gives you 769 00:42:43,590 --> 00:42:46,200 Theo Kahler: a lot of perspective because you're like, there are people, 770 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,870 Theo Kahler: and myself included, who had been in this position, any 771 00:42:48,870 --> 00:42:52,410 Theo Kahler: runners been in this position where they feel like, " Oh, 772 00:42:52,410 --> 00:42:54,630 Theo Kahler: man. This is so hard. My legs feel so bad 773 00:42:54,630 --> 00:42:59,009 Theo Kahler: and stiff. Why does anyone find this fun?" Then the 774 00:42:59,010 --> 00:43:01,110 Theo Kahler: second run or the third run or the fourth run, 775 00:43:01,110 --> 00:43:03,239 Theo Kahler: you finally get it back and you're like, " Oh, okay. 776 00:43:03,930 --> 00:43:05,910 Theo Kahler: I didn't lose all my fitness within a week or 777 00:43:05,910 --> 00:43:11,250 Theo Kahler: two or three. I still have my legs." But I 778 00:43:11,250 --> 00:43:13,680 Theo Kahler: think it's kind of fun to feel that almost rock 779 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:15,570 Theo Kahler: bottom a little bit after you're riding this high from 780 00:43:15,570 --> 00:43:17,730 Theo Kahler: the race and you got to humble yourself a little bit. 781 00:43:18,510 --> 00:43:22,380 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Do you do other things in that week off, like stretching 782 00:43:22,380 --> 00:43:26,040 Becs Gentry: or, I don't know, any other disciplines or are you just completely just walking? 783 00:43:26,790 --> 00:43:29,280 Theo Kahler: Yeah, I would say usually I like to ride my 784 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:33,089 Theo Kahler: bike a lot. I was a big cyclist between my 785 00:43:33,090 --> 00:43:37,920 Theo Kahler: two running chapters and right now I spent so much 786 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:39,630 Theo Kahler: time running, I don't get to ride my bike much. 787 00:43:39,750 --> 00:43:42,360 Theo Kahler: And so especially if it's nicer weather, I like to go out with my 788 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:46,020 Theo Kahler: buddies and go on a lunch bike ride and we have 789 00:43:46,020 --> 00:43:49,980 Theo Kahler: some great roads in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I did 790 00:43:49,980 --> 00:43:52,260 Theo Kahler: get sick this time and it was a little chilly 791 00:43:52,260 --> 00:43:54,930 Theo Kahler: for riding and so I didn't get to it this time, but 792 00:43:54,930 --> 00:43:58,080 Theo Kahler: last summer I did after Grandma's. But other than that, 793 00:43:58,350 --> 00:44:01,650 Theo Kahler: that first week especially, I don't want to think about 794 00:44:02,790 --> 00:44:06,570 Theo Kahler: honestly running or nutrition or... I give myself that week 795 00:44:06,570 --> 00:44:10,739 Theo Kahler: to be a normal person and take a mental break, 796 00:44:10,739 --> 00:44:14,219 Theo Kahler: and then the second week I'll do some gym stuff. 797 00:44:14,610 --> 00:44:17,730 Theo Kahler: I kind of back off my weight training the month 798 00:44:17,730 --> 00:44:23,070 Theo Kahler: or so before a big race. But yeah, especially the last 799 00:44:23,070 --> 00:44:24,390 Theo Kahler: few weeks I've been trying to get better at the 800 00:44:24,420 --> 00:44:29,880 Theo Kahler: gym and I'll do some cross- training. I think I did a 801 00:44:30,450 --> 00:44:33,390 Theo Kahler: stationary bike and elliptical, I want to say a little bit. 802 00:44:35,070 --> 00:44:39,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, welcome back to running. Congratulations though most importantly on 803 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:42,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: your amazing day in New York and thanks for writing 804 00:44:42,540 --> 00:44:47,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: about it. It's great to read those first- person perspective 805 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:50,969 Rob Simmelkjaer: articles from someone at your level. Not a lot of 806 00:44:50,969 --> 00:44:53,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: people who can run like you do can also write 807 00:44:53,910 --> 00:44:56,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: like you do, so you've got a nice combination there and 808 00:44:56,340 --> 00:44:59,549 Rob Simmelkjaer: it's a really nice way for people to relate to 809 00:44:59,550 --> 00:45:03,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: the sport and enjoy the sport in a different way. So thanks 810 00:45:03,870 --> 00:45:05,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: for what you're doing. We welcome you back in New 811 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:09,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: York anytime, whether it's for the marathon or a half 812 00:45:09,270 --> 00:45:10,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: or anything else that can get you ready for your 813 00:45:10,980 --> 00:45:14,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: big OTQ project. We wish you luck with that as 814 00:45:14,610 --> 00:45:16,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: well. And thanks for being on Set to Pace. 815 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:19,890 Theo Kahler: Yeah, thank you guys so much. Appreciate you having me. 816 00:45:19,890 --> 00:45:22,710 Theo Kahler: The New York Marathon was certainly a bucket list kind 817 00:45:22,710 --> 00:45:25,230 Theo Kahler: of thing for me, and so to see that on 818 00:45:25,230 --> 00:45:28,080 Theo Kahler: the other side, not in the media center, was so 819 00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:30,090 Theo Kahler: much fun, and hopefully my stories will be better when 820 00:45:30,090 --> 00:45:32,160 Theo Kahler: I'm writing about the marathon now because I've been in 821 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:36,000 Theo Kahler: there, I've been in on the course and stuff, so really appreciate 822 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:36,299 Theo Kahler: it guys. 823 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,989 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a 824 00:45:39,989 --> 00:45:43,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the 825 00:45:43,380 --> 00:45:47,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: transformative power of running. The support of members and donors like 826 00:45:47,730 --> 00:45:51,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: you helps us achieve our mission to transform the health 827 00:45:51,030 --> 00:45:54,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: and well- being of our communities through inclusive and accessible 828 00:45:54,570 --> 00:45:59,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more 829 00:45:59,190 --> 00:46:05,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. Elmhurst resident Raymond Choy 830 00:46:05,550 --> 00:46:08,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: has been running the New York City Marathon since 1997 831 00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:11,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: and this past Sunday he crossed the finish line for 832 00:46:11,219 --> 00:46:16,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: the 27th time. After a construction accident in 1993 that 833 00:46:16,170 --> 00:46:20,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: left him with a severely injured leg, doctors weren't sure 834 00:46:20,040 --> 00:46:23,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: he'd ever walk again, let alone run, but Raymond not 835 00:46:23,250 --> 00:46:26,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: only recovered, he found new purpose through running. Today, he 836 00:46:26,790 --> 00:46:30,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: joins Meb to reflect on nearly three decades of marathons 837 00:46:30,989 --> 00:46:33,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: and what keeps him coming back year after year. 838 00:46:34,530 --> 00:46:37,980 Meb Keflezighi: Thanks, Rob. Thanks, Becs. Raymond, welcome to Set the Pace. 839 00:46:37,980 --> 00:46:38,759 Meb Keflezighi: How are you doing today? 840 00:46:39,180 --> 00:46:42,420 Raymond Choi: I'm doing very well considering I just ran the marathon and 841 00:46:42,420 --> 00:46:45,750 Raymond Choi: I got a couple of sore big toes, otherwise I'm great. 842 00:46:46,469 --> 00:46:50,549 Meb Keflezighi: Well, you just did your 27th consecutive New York City 843 00:46:50,550 --> 00:46:53,370 Meb Keflezighi: Marathon. That's a little expected, but did you learn something 844 00:46:53,370 --> 00:46:54,180 Meb Keflezighi: different this time? 845 00:46:54,719 --> 00:47:00,930 Raymond Choi: Oh, yeah. I learned something every time and every time I learn 846 00:47:01,200 --> 00:47:04,860 Raymond Choi: something, it supports what I learned previously and what I 847 00:47:04,860 --> 00:47:08,219 Raymond Choi: learned previously is thank you for all the support I've 848 00:47:08,219 --> 00:47:12,270 Raymond Choi: gotten from my track club, from my support runners and 849 00:47:12,270 --> 00:47:16,350 Raymond Choi: from my family for helping me just do this sort 850 00:47:16,350 --> 00:47:19,350 Raymond Choi: of crazy things in least in some of some people's 851 00:47:19,350 --> 00:47:23,160 Raymond Choi: mind concerning because they're concerned about my health and my 852 00:47:23,160 --> 00:47:26,640 Raymond Choi: age and things like that. But all in all they're behind me every 853 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:27,600 Raymond Choi: time I go out there. 854 00:47:28,110 --> 00:47:32,040 Meb Keflezighi: Well, your health is, but you survived a devastating accident 855 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:36,239 Meb Keflezighi: in 1993 and spent two months learning how to walk. 856 00:47:36,540 --> 00:47:40,110 Meb Keflezighi: How did you go from that point to running the first New 857 00:47:40,110 --> 00:47:42,090 Meb Keflezighi: York City Marathon in 1997? 858 00:47:42,719 --> 00:47:46,890 Raymond Choi: Well, actually when I was very young, I used to 859 00:47:46,890 --> 00:47:49,170 Raymond Choi: play sports as a child and everything like that. I 860 00:47:49,170 --> 00:47:51,900 Raymond Choi: was never the fastest or the best or anything, and 861 00:47:52,770 --> 00:47:55,620 Raymond Choi: I remember hearing about the Boston Marathon back then and 862 00:47:55,620 --> 00:48:00,060 Raymond Choi: I saying, " Wow. It took 26.2 miles, but you don't 863 00:48:00,060 --> 00:48:01,680 Raymond Choi: have to be fast to do it, you just have 864 00:48:01,680 --> 00:48:04,620 Raymond Choi: to be consistent." I said, " Maybe someday." I guess sort 865 00:48:04,620 --> 00:48:06,810 Raymond Choi: of people... I didn't call it that at the time, 866 00:48:06,810 --> 00:48:09,000 Raymond Choi: but on a bucket list in the back of my 867 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:11,190 Raymond Choi: mind, something I might go and try to do sometime. 868 00:48:11,730 --> 00:48:15,900 Raymond Choi: And when I had the accident and I learned to walk again, 869 00:48:16,710 --> 00:48:21,900 Raymond Choi: I remember seeing on TV... There was on the TV after 870 00:48:21,900 --> 00:48:25,830 Raymond Choi: the marathon, they talked about a runner with multiple sclerosis, 871 00:48:25,830 --> 00:48:28,920 Raymond Choi: name is Zoe Koplowitz, and I don't know how to 872 00:48:29,100 --> 00:48:33,540 Raymond Choi: pronounce the name correctly. And she did the marathon and she was a member 873 00:48:33,540 --> 00:48:37,110 Raymond Choi: of an organization called at that time, Achilles Track Club, and I said, " 874 00:48:37,110 --> 00:48:40,350 Raymond Choi: Let me see if maybe I could go out to 875 00:48:40,350 --> 00:48:43,440 Raymond Choi: one of their practices and see what happens." And went 876 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:46,140 Raymond Choi: out to one of their practices, their founder, Dick Traum , 877 00:48:46,140 --> 00:48:49,680 Raymond Choi: who I'm eternally grateful. First time I met him after 878 00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:52,500 Raymond Choi: two practices, he just said to me, " Have you thought about 879 00:48:52,500 --> 00:48:55,170 Raymond Choi: running a New York City Marathon?" And I thought that was so 880 00:48:55,170 --> 00:48:58,530 Raymond Choi: crazy because I had just learned to walk again and... 881 00:48:58,620 --> 00:49:02,130 Raymond Choi: Well, I had been walking two, three years, but the 882 00:49:02,130 --> 00:49:05,130 Raymond Choi: thought of running a marathon maybe in a year or 883 00:49:05,130 --> 00:49:07,500 Raymond Choi: two, but after the first couple of practice, he just 884 00:49:07,500 --> 00:49:09,839 Raymond Choi: puts that thought in your mind that we could do 885 00:49:09,840 --> 00:49:12,360 Raymond Choi: it. And I kept coming up with things like, gee, it's 886 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:15,180 Raymond Choi: hard to get into that race. It's this, that. And then he said, " 887 00:49:15,180 --> 00:49:19,529 Raymond Choi: Don't worry, just think about it." And the first year 888 00:49:19,530 --> 00:49:22,140 Raymond Choi: came, November and he says, " Raymond, you're ready. We got 889 00:49:22,140 --> 00:49:24,930 Raymond Choi: a bib for you." And that was my first year, 890 00:49:24,989 --> 00:49:26,460 Raymond Choi: so wonderful that first year. 891 00:49:27,180 --> 00:49:30,540 Meb Keflezighi: Well, congratulations on your first one, but more impressive is 892 00:49:30,540 --> 00:49:36,180 Meb Keflezighi: as this past Sunday you have completed 27 consecutive NYC marathon 893 00:49:36,180 --> 00:49:40,710 Meb Keflezighi: and are part of the NYR elite groups of streakers. What 894 00:49:40,710 --> 00:49:42,870 Meb Keflezighi: keeps you coming back year after year? 895 00:49:43,170 --> 00:49:46,739 Raymond Choi: Oh, come on. It's a common thing. I read about 896 00:49:46,739 --> 00:49:50,279 Raymond Choi: other first- time marathoners, after the first one, they say, " 897 00:49:50,610 --> 00:49:54,239 Raymond Choi: Boy, that was so tough, I'm never doing that again," 898 00:49:54,300 --> 00:49:57,180 Raymond Choi: and then a week after that you're thinking, " Hey, it 899 00:49:57,180 --> 00:49:59,340 Raymond Choi: wasn't so bad. Maybe I should try to do it 900 00:49:59,340 --> 00:50:02,790 Raymond Choi: again and get a better PR or personal record or something 901 00:50:02,790 --> 00:50:06,060 Raymond Choi: like that." And then it just happened, and then with Achilles' help 902 00:50:06,630 --> 00:50:10,830 Raymond Choi: and their support, I just did the second one and 903 00:50:10,830 --> 00:50:14,160 Raymond Choi: after the second one, you want to do the third 904 00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:17,370 Raymond Choi: one and then it just keeps going, and it became 905 00:50:17,430 --> 00:50:20,880 Raymond Choi: part of my life. Every first Sunday, November, I don't 906 00:50:20,880 --> 00:50:23,489 Raymond Choi: know what I'd be doing if I wasn't running the marathon. 907 00:50:23,580 --> 00:50:28,469 Raymond Choi: It just follows after Thanksgiving, the marathon. Now I'm up 908 00:50:28,469 --> 00:50:29,940 Raymond Choi: to 27, that's all. 909 00:50:30,300 --> 00:50:33,120 Meb Keflezighi: Raymond, that's impressive. It took me a lot more longer 910 00:50:33,120 --> 00:50:36,300 Meb Keflezighi: than a week to sign up for another marathon. I 911 00:50:36,300 --> 00:50:39,420 Meb Keflezighi: did my first marathon in 2002 New York, and I said, " This is 912 00:50:39,420 --> 00:50:41,610 Meb Keflezighi: my first and last. I never want to do it again," but 913 00:50:42,000 --> 00:50:45,120 Meb Keflezighi: I saw how people in Africa (inaudible) were living, 914 00:50:45,120 --> 00:50:47,790 Meb Keflezighi: and I decided to come back. But that's very impressive for you to 915 00:50:47,790 --> 00:50:51,930 Meb Keflezighi: do it on the first week. But you have said 916 00:50:51,930 --> 00:50:55,350 Meb Keflezighi: you trained seven months a year and have undergone multiple 917 00:50:55,350 --> 00:50:59,190 Meb Keflezighi: knee surgeries and even a knee replacement. How has your 918 00:50:59,190 --> 00:51:01,380 Meb Keflezighi: training evolved with age and injury? 919 00:51:01,950 --> 00:51:07,620 Raymond Choi: Oh, wow. The first few years it wasn't that much 920 00:51:07,620 --> 00:51:11,610 Raymond Choi: effect on my knees, and at that point I only 921 00:51:11,610 --> 00:51:15,090 Raymond Choi: had problem with one knee, and then about, let me 922 00:51:15,090 --> 00:51:21,840 Raymond Choi: see, I believe it was 2008, so that's 11 years. So 11 years 923 00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:26,160 Raymond Choi: of running and everything like that on the rebuilt left 924 00:51:26,489 --> 00:51:30,810 Raymond Choi: leg started affecting my right leg, and then I sought 925 00:51:31,770 --> 00:51:36,779 Raymond Choi: medical treatment for my right leg. So at that time 926 00:51:36,780 --> 00:51:41,279 Raymond Choi: it was some simple things, arthroscopic surgery, 2008, and then 927 00:51:42,210 --> 00:51:45,569 Raymond Choi: I continued my streak. I go see the orthopedist. I mean, 928 00:51:45,570 --> 00:51:48,750 Raymond Choi: over the years I've seen different orthopedists and they say, " 929 00:51:48,900 --> 00:51:51,210 Raymond Choi: Oh, if I'm your doctor, I would say you got 930 00:51:51,210 --> 00:51:54,030 Raymond Choi: to stop running yesterday." But then I found an orthopedist 931 00:51:54,300 --> 00:51:58,950 Raymond Choi: and I can mention the hospital's name, HSS, and I 932 00:51:58,950 --> 00:52:03,510 Raymond Choi: read on his website he helps people continue get in 933 00:52:03,510 --> 00:52:06,000 Raymond Choi: the game, things like that, they had saying. So I 934 00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:11,370 Raymond Choi: saw him 2008, did arthroscopic surgery, continued my streak. 2015, 935 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:13,050 Raymond Choi: I went to see him again. I said, " My knee 936 00:52:13,050 --> 00:52:16,800 Raymond Choi: is bothering me again." He did arthroscopic surgery again in 2015. 937 00:52:17,580 --> 00:52:20,400 Raymond Choi: In 2022, I went to see him again and he said, " 938 00:52:20,430 --> 00:52:22,800 Raymond Choi: What's going on?" I said, " Nothing's going on." And he said, "Why are you 939 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:24,870 Raymond Choi: here?" I said, " Well, I've been seeing you every seven 940 00:52:24,870 --> 00:52:27,029 Raymond Choi: years. So I came again." He goes, " okay, come back 941 00:52:27,030 --> 00:52:29,580 Raymond Choi: when you have a problem." So the next year I 942 00:52:29,580 --> 00:52:32,280 Raymond Choi: ran my slowest marathon and I said, " Let me go 943 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:34,980 Raymond Choi: see him again," and he said to me, " Raymond, look at 944 00:52:34,980 --> 00:52:39,239 Raymond Choi: your age. It's time for a knee replacement." So in 2023, 945 00:52:39,870 --> 00:52:42,960 Raymond Choi: he did a knee replacement on my other leg. So 946 00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:46,739 Raymond Choi: after that, I had some complications, but I came back 947 00:52:46,739 --> 00:52:50,819 Raymond Choi: from that and I continued my streak. The knee replacement, I said, " 948 00:52:51,180 --> 00:52:54,509 Raymond Choi: You got to enable me to get to the start line, 949 00:52:54,540 --> 00:52:57,000 Raymond Choi: come November." And this was February. They said, " Don't worry, 950 00:52:57,030 --> 00:52:58,680 Raymond Choi: we'll get you there. We'll get you there, we'll get 951 00:52:58,680 --> 00:53:01,200 Raymond Choi: you there." And then after the knee replacement, my family 952 00:53:01,200 --> 00:53:05,669 Raymond Choi: started questioning me, " Raymond, dad, granddad, do you really need 953 00:53:05,670 --> 00:53:07,980 Raymond Choi: to do this? You got to worry about your age 954 00:53:07,980 --> 00:53:10,350 Raymond Choi: and we don't want you to be in a wheelchair." 955 00:53:10,890 --> 00:53:13,440 Raymond Choi: So I had to call a family meeting and tell 956 00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:16,049 Raymond Choi: them how important it was to me. That year was 957 00:53:16,110 --> 00:53:20,430 Raymond Choi: going to be my 25th consecutive. I said, "I want to be in the 25th group," 958 00:53:20,820 --> 00:53:23,850 Raymond Choi: and had a family meeting, Zoom meeting like this, and 959 00:53:24,210 --> 00:53:26,969 Raymond Choi: they said, " Well, we're going to give you our blessing, 960 00:53:26,969 --> 00:53:31,350 Raymond Choi: but we understand why you want to do it," and I said, " I promise I'm 961 00:53:31,350 --> 00:53:35,010 Raymond Choi: not going to run more than necessary. I'll probably walk 962 00:53:35,010 --> 00:53:36,840 Raymond Choi: most of it," and they said, " Okay, go ahead." So 963 00:53:37,170 --> 00:53:41,489 Raymond Choi: that's where I am now. I've been my slowest few 964 00:53:41,489 --> 00:53:42,240 Raymond Choi: marathons these last few. 965 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:46,050 Meb Keflezighi: That's okay. Slowing down is not a problem. Just amazing story. And you 966 00:53:46,230 --> 00:53:49,620 Meb Keflezighi: have a big support from your family. As a long- 967 00:53:49,620 --> 00:53:53,070 Meb Keflezighi: time member of the Achilles International, how has the organization 968 00:53:53,070 --> 00:53:56,400 Meb Keflezighi: and your support runners influenced your running journey? 969 00:53:56,940 --> 00:54:01,020 Raymond Choi: Oh my gosh. I've always said without my support runners, 970 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:04,830 Raymond Choi: I would not have finished any of my marathons starting 971 00:54:04,830 --> 00:54:07,110 Raymond Choi: from the first one I remember. I don't remember what 972 00:54:07,110 --> 00:54:10,380 Raymond Choi: year. One year, I remember at the midway point I 973 00:54:10,380 --> 00:54:13,860 Raymond Choi: felt like I was going to keel over and then 974 00:54:14,190 --> 00:54:16,890 Raymond Choi: they said they had support runners at the midway point, 975 00:54:16,890 --> 00:54:19,830 Raymond Choi: they said, " No, you can't stop running because we have 976 00:54:19,830 --> 00:54:22,620 Raymond Choi: some support runners ready to take over and they've been 977 00:54:22,620 --> 00:54:26,430 Raymond Choi: practicing all year twice a week to run with a 978 00:54:26,430 --> 00:54:31,110 Raymond Choi: runner for the marathons. Well, we need you to finish 979 00:54:31,110 --> 00:54:34,109 Raymond Choi: so they can support you, so they could get sort 980 00:54:34,110 --> 00:54:38,340 Raymond Choi: of rewarded for coming out to practices all year." So I said, " 981 00:54:38,550 --> 00:54:41,609 Raymond Choi: Okay, come." And then I finished it and continued my streak. 982 00:54:43,170 --> 00:54:50,219 Raymond Choi: Absolutely, Achilles. I can't imagine... I mean, come on, Raymond. 983 00:54:50,219 --> 00:54:52,620 Raymond Choi: You can keep going. Come on, come on. One more 984 00:54:52,620 --> 00:54:58,739 Raymond Choi: minute. It's just amazing. And the time that I know 985 00:54:58,739 --> 00:55:03,360 Raymond Choi: that they commit to supporting us Achilles athlete, not just 986 00:55:03,360 --> 00:55:08,760 Raymond Choi: myself. I mean, that Sunday, even the preparation running support 987 00:55:08,910 --> 00:55:14,759 Raymond Choi: practices together is just amazing. I'm in awe that they're 988 00:55:14,880 --> 00:55:19,350 Raymond Choi: so giving all to these Achilles volunteers, I can't say any 989 00:55:19,350 --> 00:55:23,010 Raymond Choi: more. They're just wonderful. 990 00:55:23,489 --> 00:55:26,790 Meb Keflezighi: Achilles International does an amazing work and they do touch 991 00:55:26,790 --> 00:55:29,520 Meb Keflezighi: many people's life. You often say you run more with 992 00:55:29,520 --> 00:55:33,719 Meb Keflezighi: your heart and your ability and encourage others with these 993 00:55:33,719 --> 00:55:37,620 Meb Keflezighi: abilities to believe in themselves. What message do you hope 994 00:55:37,620 --> 00:55:39,690 Meb Keflezighi: people take from your marathon streak? 995 00:55:40,620 --> 00:55:44,460 Raymond Choi: Okay, marathon's just one step at a time, but it 996 00:55:44,460 --> 00:55:47,790 Raymond Choi: relates to so many things in life. One thing at 997 00:55:47,790 --> 00:55:50,969 Raymond Choi: a time, I remember after my surgeries, looking at my 998 00:55:50,969 --> 00:55:55,320 Raymond Choi: legs, they're all swollen, and actually my knee replacement got 999 00:55:55,320 --> 00:56:00,060 Raymond Choi: infected and it was all... But we recover from adversities 1000 00:56:00,390 --> 00:56:02,460 Raymond Choi: and one day at a time things get better, whether 1001 00:56:02,460 --> 00:56:08,001 Raymond Choi: it's mental, physical, emotional. I mean, I've been all people (inaudible) 1002 00:56:08,001 --> 00:56:12,360 Raymond Choi: trials and tribulations, talking about 30 years I've spent 1003 00:56:12,420 --> 00:56:15,629 Raymond Choi: over my running... But of course other things in life 1004 00:56:15,630 --> 00:56:21,570 Raymond Choi: besides running and life has ups and downs. Running has 1005 00:56:21,570 --> 00:56:25,080 Raymond Choi: ups and downs. I'm sort of blessed to have been 1006 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:29,400 Raymond Choi: able to run every year because injuries come and I still was 1007 00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:33,719 Raymond Choi: able to come, but it sounds cliche, but one step 1008 00:56:33,719 --> 00:56:36,480 Raymond Choi: at a time. Tomorrow could be better. You don't know 1009 00:56:36,480 --> 00:56:39,180 Raymond Choi: what tomorrow brings. We know what happened in the past, 1010 00:56:39,510 --> 00:56:41,340 Raymond Choi: but what we don't know what's going to happen in 1011 00:56:41,340 --> 00:56:44,520 Raymond Choi: the future. But today we try to make today better 1012 00:56:44,520 --> 00:56:48,330 Raymond Choi: and see what tomorrow brings. And then here I am. 1013 00:56:48,750 --> 00:56:51,989 Raymond Choi: I'm 74 years old. If someone asks me, a friend, 1014 00:56:51,989 --> 00:56:56,969 Raymond Choi: relative, anybody, how are you doing? My response lately has been better 1015 00:56:56,969 --> 00:57:02,130 Raymond Choi: than I deserve. I think not only with Achilles' support 1016 00:57:02,130 --> 00:57:09,030 Raymond Choi: and helping me face problems and deal with them, it's 1017 00:57:09,030 --> 00:57:12,060 Raymond Choi: immeasurable their support. I can't say it enough. And I got to 1018 00:57:12,120 --> 00:57:20,760 Raymond Choi: mention Dick Traum, Achilles' founder and president. He was able 1019 00:57:20,760 --> 00:57:24,060 Raymond Choi: to get Road Runners to allow us amputees... I'm not 1020 00:57:24,060 --> 00:57:29,070 Raymond Choi: amputee, but people with disabilities to participate. And we call 1021 00:57:29,070 --> 00:57:33,390 Raymond Choi: it mainstream running events to be... Don't feel so alienated 1022 00:57:33,480 --> 00:57:36,210 Raymond Choi: from other people because of our disabilities. 1023 00:57:36,690 --> 00:57:39,930 Meb Keflezighi: Yeah. No, Achilles International does a great job with that, 1024 00:57:39,960 --> 00:57:42,990 Meb Keflezighi: but I'm pretty sure now you're a little over... You 1025 00:57:42,990 --> 00:57:47,760 Meb Keflezighi: have collected many jackets with the 27th consecutive, but that jacket 1026 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:49,800 Meb Keflezighi: that you're wearing, can you tell us more about it? 1027 00:57:50,970 --> 00:57:54,390 Raymond Choi: Well, back in '97, the weather forecast was supposed to be like... 1028 00:57:54,720 --> 00:57:57,180 Raymond Choi: I had no idea what to do, how to prepare 1029 00:57:57,180 --> 00:57:59,130 Raymond Choi: for a marathon. They said there might be raining. So 1030 00:57:59,130 --> 00:58:02,010 Raymond Choi: I went to Paragon's. They got this little rain slicker 1031 00:58:02,010 --> 00:58:06,030 Raymond Choi: jacket and had a official New York City... Well, I 1032 00:58:06,030 --> 00:58:10,410 Raymond Choi: don't know if it's official, but had a 1997 marathon 1033 00:58:10,860 --> 00:58:13,860 Raymond Choi: as part of the jacket. And then the years following 1034 00:58:14,220 --> 00:58:16,950 Raymond Choi: at the Expo, I was able to find patches for 1035 00:58:16,950 --> 00:58:21,420 Raymond Choi: every marathon... Not every marathon since then, but for a 1036 00:58:21,420 --> 00:58:23,730 Raymond Choi: lot of marathons afterwards. I was able to get a 1037 00:58:23,730 --> 00:58:27,300 Raymond Choi: patches and I add patches every year. I actually have 1038 00:58:27,300 --> 00:58:31,800 Raymond Choi: a patch for every year that I've gone. Since I became 1039 00:58:31,800 --> 00:58:35,010 Raymond Choi: a streaker, I've been putting on the streaker patches, which 1040 00:58:35,220 --> 00:58:40,200 Raymond Choi: are separate because they don't have the patches available anymore 1041 00:58:40,950 --> 00:58:43,470 Raymond Choi: at the Expo. They don't seem to make it. And 1042 00:58:43,740 --> 00:58:46,320 Raymond Choi: so I got the jacket, I got all these patches 1043 00:58:46,320 --> 00:58:49,710 Raymond Choi: on it and it's got a little raggedy, and I 1044 00:58:49,710 --> 00:58:52,680 Raymond Choi: asked the dry cleaner, " Can you clean it?" And he said, " 1045 00:58:52,680 --> 00:58:56,040 Raymond Choi: No, you can't clean it. The dirt is too embedded, 1046 00:58:56,550 --> 00:58:59,520 Raymond Choi: but just get more patches and cover all the dirty spots." 1047 00:58:59,640 --> 00:59:02,580 Raymond Choi: So I had to go on. So now I had 1048 00:59:02,580 --> 00:59:08,220 Raymond Choi: to put on... Now I'm up to the back of the jacket and I have 1049 00:59:08,520 --> 00:59:11,310 Raymond Choi: streaker patches from the last few years. I didn't add 1050 00:59:11,370 --> 00:59:14,250 Raymond Choi: this year's yet. And then I have a patch of 1051 00:59:14,250 --> 00:59:17,130 Raymond Choi: course for... First of all, let me show you this 1052 00:59:17,130 --> 00:59:20,670 Raymond Choi: patch. This is Achilles. Originally when I started, it was 1053 00:59:20,670 --> 00:59:26,400 Raymond Choi: called Achilles Track Club, and then they became Achilles International. 1054 00:59:27,030 --> 00:59:32,490 Raymond Choi: And I credit Achilles. I never would've done the first 1055 00:59:32,670 --> 00:59:35,190 Raymond Choi: one and I never would've continued without their support. I 1056 00:59:35,190 --> 00:59:38,580 Raymond Choi: can't say enough about Achilles. And by the way, looking at 1057 00:59:38,580 --> 00:59:43,650 Raymond Choi: you, you started marathon running not pretty late in life. 1058 00:59:43,650 --> 00:59:49,200 Raymond Choi: My first '97, I was 46. So I was 46 when I started my first marathon. Little did I think 1059 00:59:49,200 --> 00:59:53,220 Raymond Choi: I'd be continuing it. I'm 74. I'm 74 now. 1060 00:59:53,280 --> 00:59:57,300 Meb Keflezighi: Pretty impressive, Raymond. Wow. What a career. And congratulations. All the 1061 00:59:57,540 --> 01:00:01,530 Meb Keflezighi: things that you have achievement, including the consecutive 27 New 1062 01:00:01,530 --> 01:00:04,350 Meb Keflezighi: York City Marathons and other races. So we're so proud 1063 01:00:04,350 --> 01:00:04,590 Meb Keflezighi: of you. 1064 01:00:05,130 --> 01:00:10,050 Raymond Choi: Yeah, I look at your resume, and I'm proud to 1065 01:00:10,050 --> 01:00:14,340 Raymond Choi: be a member of the group that called themselves marathoners. 1066 01:00:14,340 --> 01:00:16,380 Raymond Choi: I say to my family, " I don't want to be 1067 01:00:16,380 --> 01:00:20,010 Raymond Choi: referred to as a former marathoner. Oh, he used to 1068 01:00:20,010 --> 01:00:22,230 Raymond Choi: run the marathon." I want to run that marathon every year. 1069 01:00:22,230 --> 01:00:25,650 Raymond Choi: So I could always say, " Raymond Choy is a marathoner, 1070 01:00:25,680 --> 01:00:27,030 Raymond Choi: not a former marathoner." 1071 01:00:28,260 --> 01:00:30,330 Meb Keflezighi: You have earned all those miles and then all those 1072 01:00:30,330 --> 01:00:33,390 Meb Keflezighi: patches to make sure that you are a marathoner. We 1073 01:00:33,390 --> 01:00:35,760 Meb Keflezighi: are grateful that for your presence and keep up the 1074 01:00:35,760 --> 01:00:36,180 Meb Keflezighi: great work. 1075 01:00:36,690 --> 01:00:38,010 Raymond Choi: Okay, thank you for having me, Meb. All right. 1076 01:00:38,010 --> 01:00:39,300 Meb Keflezighi: No problem, Raymond. 1077 01:00:40,980 --> 01:00:44,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: Wow. Raymond, thank you so much for sharing that story 1078 01:00:44,190 --> 01:00:46,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: and for being a member of New York Road Runners. 1079 01:00:46,590 --> 01:00:48,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: Now it's time for today's Meb Minutes. 1080 01:00:51,240 --> 01:00:57,720 Meb Keflezighi: What your body remembers after 26. 2 miles. 26.2 miles 1081 01:00:57,720 --> 01:01:02,670 Meb Keflezighi: is amazing accomplishment. Your body learns more than you realize during 1082 01:01:02,670 --> 01:01:07,110 Meb Keflezighi: those miles. Your body build stronger, capillaries network, which means 1083 01:01:07,110 --> 01:01:11,910 Meb Keflezighi: better circulation even on everyday activities. And another one is 1084 01:01:11,910 --> 01:01:16,020 Meb Keflezighi: souvenir legs means that your body remembers the work. Your 1085 01:01:16,410 --> 01:01:20,550 Meb Keflezighi: next long run might not be feeling smoother because of 1086 01:01:20,550 --> 01:01:23,160 Meb Keflezighi: it, but you appreciate and say, " Hey, I'm just getting 1087 01:01:23,160 --> 01:01:28,050 Meb Keflezighi: started again." Runners also become more efficient as burning fat, 1088 01:01:28,410 --> 01:01:32,850 Meb Keflezighi: an advantage that carries into shorter distances. Now, this means 1089 01:01:32,850 --> 01:01:37,380 Meb Keflezighi: that you'd be able to just have the body carry 1090 01:01:37,470 --> 01:01:40,080 Meb Keflezighi: more things, burn fat, and then be able to just 1091 01:01:40,260 --> 01:01:43,110 Meb Keflezighi: train your body how to handle shorter races when you're going 1092 01:01:43,110 --> 01:01:45,840 Meb Keflezighi: a little bit quicker, whether it's half 10k or 5k. 1093 01:01:47,430 --> 01:01:51,210 Meb Keflezighi: You may notice your recovery improves over time. That's the 1094 01:01:51,210 --> 01:01:55,410 Meb Keflezighi: adaptation of consistent training. So running a marathon, you've done 1095 01:01:55,410 --> 01:01:59,550 Meb Keflezighi: done training, and after a marathon, it is very, very 1096 01:01:59,550 --> 01:02:02,430 Meb Keflezighi: important to be able to make sure recover. Don't rush 1097 01:02:02,430 --> 01:02:06,150 Meb Keflezighi: it. This is where you just say, " You know what? For a 1098 01:02:06,240 --> 01:02:09,780 Meb Keflezighi: week or two weeks, miss running." You don't have to 1099 01:02:09,780 --> 01:02:12,180 Meb Keflezighi: rush into, get into right away to sign up for 1100 01:02:12,180 --> 01:02:15,510 Meb Keflezighi: a marathon. You are able to accomplish and celebrate it. 1101 01:02:16,020 --> 01:02:22,350 Meb Keflezighi: And there's also of impact that bone density or connective 1102 01:02:22,350 --> 01:02:25,680 Meb Keflezighi: tissue that gets stronger through the marathon run and being able 1103 01:02:25,680 --> 01:02:27,960 Meb Keflezighi: to... When you train for it, when you do the 1104 01:02:27,960 --> 01:02:31,500 Meb Keflezighi: run on 26.2 miles, the best you can, those are strong. 1105 01:02:31,860 --> 01:02:35,040 Meb Keflezighi: It's not like swimming, you are going through just the motion. 1106 01:02:35,370 --> 01:02:38,220 Meb Keflezighi: This has a very impactful in terms of running to 1107 01:02:38,220 --> 01:02:42,900 Meb Keflezighi: be able to make it a stronger bone and tissue. I also 1108 01:02:42,900 --> 01:02:46,470 Meb Keflezighi: tell people that support system is huge. To be able 1109 01:02:46,470 --> 01:02:49,980 Meb Keflezighi: to support your body gave you so much, make sure 1110 01:02:49,980 --> 01:02:55,050 Meb Keflezighi: you eat well, hydrate well, and prioritize your sleep and 1111 01:02:55,050 --> 01:02:58,380 Meb Keflezighi: protein because it is very important to demand a lot 1112 01:02:58,380 --> 01:03:01,950 Meb Keflezighi: of your body, it's good to give it back. Avoid 1113 01:03:01,950 --> 01:03:06,120 Meb Keflezighi: comparing, soreness and speed. Post- marathon recovery looks different for 1114 01:03:06,120 --> 01:03:10,560 Meb Keflezighi: everyone and everyone means everyone with... It could be the 1115 01:03:10,560 --> 01:03:14,190 Meb Keflezighi: training preparation for it, but also could mean how the 1116 01:03:14,190 --> 01:03:19,200 Meb Keflezighi: race unfolded. Like I did 2013, that was a tough one for 1117 01:03:19,200 --> 01:03:21,510 Meb Keflezighi: me, but I got to the finish line. So recover is going to be 1118 01:03:21,540 --> 01:03:24,000 Meb Keflezighi: taking extra long. Whereas if you just hit the wall on 1119 01:03:24,000 --> 01:03:26,790 Meb Keflezighi: the last two miles or the last three miles, the 1120 01:03:26,790 --> 01:03:31,020 Meb Keflezighi: recover is going to be a little bit more smoother over somebody that hit the wall in mile 16 1121 01:03:31,020 --> 01:03:33,900 Meb Keflezighi: or 17. The recover is going to be different. So focus 1122 01:03:33,960 --> 01:03:38,040 Meb Keflezighi: on you and respect your body, what you just did, and 1123 01:03:38,040 --> 01:03:42,780 Meb Keflezighi: respect the fundamentals of what the marathon has done. Make 1124 01:03:42,780 --> 01:03:46,710 Meb Keflezighi: smart choices. And with that, it will help you return 1125 01:03:46,710 --> 01:03:50,310 Meb Keflezighi: faster and smoother. If you listen to it and visualize 1126 01:03:50,310 --> 01:03:51,540 Meb Keflezighi: it, don't compare to other people. 1127 01:03:52,320 --> 01:03:55,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: And that does it for another episode of Set the 1128 01:03:55,290 --> 01:03:58,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: Pace. We want to thank our guest today, Theo Kahler 1129 01:03:58,050 --> 01:04:00,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: and Raymond Choy. And once again, I want to wish 1130 01:04:00,990 --> 01:04:05,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: everybody out there a very happy Thanksgiving holiday. You know 1131 01:04:05,220 --> 01:04:08,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: what I'm thankful for? I'm thankful for all of you, 1132 01:04:08,130 --> 01:04:11,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: our members, our runners, everyone in the New York Road 1133 01:04:11,910 --> 01:04:16,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners community. You make this organization so special. You help 1134 01:04:16,860 --> 01:04:19,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: us have incredible impact week in and week out with 1135 01:04:19,830 --> 01:04:22,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: everything that we do here, and we could not be more 1136 01:04:22,560 --> 01:04:25,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: thankful for your support and you are just being a 1137 01:04:25,680 --> 01:04:29,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: part of this really, really special community. Enjoy it and 1138 01:04:29,130 --> 01:04:30,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: we'll see you next week. Enjoy the miles.