WEBVTT - Marathons, Milestones, and Meb: Celebrating 100 Episodes of Set the Pace 0:00:00.450 --> 0:00:03.090 The mission of the New York Runners is to inspire people. And from 0:00:03.090 --> 0:00:06.479 point A to point B, from Staten Island all the 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:09.869 way to Central Park. It's not how fast, but whatever 0:00:09.869 --> 0:00:15.990 you are capable of doing, no gender or age or weight or all those things, getting to 0:00:15.990 --> 0:00:17.820 the finish line, and " run to win," that's what it 0:00:17.820 --> 0:00:19.950 is, to get the best out of yourself. 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:28.170 Thank you, New York. Today, we're reminded of the power 0:00:28.170 --> 0:00:33.030 of community and the power of coming together. Athletes, on 0:00:33.030 --> 0:00:38.519 your mark! The first woman to finish for the second 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:42.300 straight year, here in the New York City Marathon is Miki Gorman. 0:00:42.300 --> 0:00:46.380 A smiling Miki Gorman, and why not? 2:29: 30, the time for Grete Waitz. 0:00:47.700 --> 0:00:50.339 Look at the emotion of Shalane Flanagan as she comes 0:00:50.340 --> 0:00:53.670 to the line. Pointing to his chest, pointing to the 0:00:53.670 --> 0:00:56.191 USA, he so proudly wears across his chest. A great day for Meb Keflezighi. 0:00:56.191 --> 0:01:09.180 Hello everybody, and welcome to a special episode of Set the Pace, 0:01:09.180 --> 0:01:12.390 the official podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by 0:01:12.420 --> 0:01:15.510 Peloton. I'm your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New 0:01:15.510 --> 0:01:18.420 York Road Runners. And with me as always, my co- 0:01:18.420 --> 0:01:22.110 host, Peloton instructor, Becs Gentry. We are here with a 0:01:22.110 --> 0:01:33.450 live studio audience, because... It's incredible. We're here today with 0:01:33.450 --> 0:01:38.130 this great crowd because, Becs, it is the 100th episode of Set the Pace. 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:39.090 100. 0:01:39.750 --> 0:01:41.131 They keep letting us do it- 0:01:41.131 --> 0:01:41.132 They do. 0:01:41.132 --> 0:01:43.651 Over and over, and over again. 0:01:43.651 --> 0:01:44.191 And over, and over. 0:01:44.910 --> 0:01:47.340 And so I keep showing up to do it again, 0:01:47.340 --> 0:01:50.071 and now we've got actual live people here with us as well. 0:01:50.071 --> 0:01:50.131 Actual live people. 0:01:50.970 --> 0:01:51.121 How cool is this? 0:01:51.121 --> 0:01:54.690 It is so cool. As we'd say at Peloton, welcome to your Century 0:01:54.960 --> 0:01:59.130 episode. If you ever had a Century run, walk or 0:01:59.130 --> 0:02:01.470 a class at Peloton, you know what I'm talking about. 0:02:01.890 --> 0:02:05.040 It is so exciting, and I neglect to mention where we are, 0:02:05.040 --> 0:02:07.440 by the way. We're not just live with an amazing 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:10.859 audience, but we are at the New York Public Theater, 0:02:11.100 --> 0:02:14.850 which is a legendary space in New York City. New 0:02:14.850 --> 0:02:18.000 Yorkers know it as the place that so many incredible 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:22.080 performances and shows have launched. Most notably, of course, Hamilton, 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:25.560 which started here at the Public Theater. New Yorkers just 0:02:25.560 --> 0:02:28.440 call it the Public, right down here on Astor Place 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:31.740 and Lafayette. So it's a legendary place. We've got this 0:02:31.740 --> 0:02:33.960 beautiful theater here that they've given us for the day. 0:02:34.020 --> 0:02:36.389 Can I add a UK adage here? I just got 0:02:36.389 --> 0:02:39.330 told that Adele did her first New York appearance in 0:02:39.330 --> 0:02:39.870 Joe's bar. 0:02:39.870 --> 0:02:42.780 Whoa. I did not know that. 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:45.660 I love that that got more love than the Hamilton thing. 0:02:47.370 --> 0:02:50.280 Everybody knew Hamilton. I did not know that about Adele, 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.310 Joe's Pub, of course, part of this complex, which is 0:02:53.310 --> 0:02:55.230 an incredible place to watch live music. 0:02:55.290 --> 0:02:57.869 Yeah, Adele, I mean, there on the floor. Wow. 0:02:58.050 --> 0:03:01.290 So Becs, what I think we can say is this is 0:03:01.290 --> 0:03:04.380 as close as you and I are ever getting to Broadway, right here. 0:03:04.530 --> 0:03:08.700 I would hope. I mean, I don't know about your singing voice, but mine is, my cat 0:03:08.700 --> 0:03:09.209 can sing better. 0:03:09.209 --> 0:03:11.221 I stick to the talking. I stick to the talking, absolutely. 0:03:11.221 --> 0:03:14.940 Me too. Me too. And my dancing, good Lord. It would all go wrong. 0:03:15.090 --> 0:03:17.250 But it's an honor to be here. We want to 0:03:17.250 --> 0:03:19.290 thank the folks from the public for having us here. 0:03:19.620 --> 0:03:23.040 And Becs, I just think back about when we first 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:26.760 started this little podcast. You weren't with us yet. Our 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:29.340 friend, Meb Keflezighi, he's going to be joining us in a little while. 0:03:29.340 --> 0:03:35.520 Meb Keflezighi in the audience. Let's hear it for Meb. Meb will be up 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:40.710 here talking about life, talking about the podcast, about running. 0:03:40.710 --> 0:03:43.260 But when we first started this little podcast, it was 0:03:43.260 --> 0:03:45.990 me and Meb, a great team here at New York Road 0:03:45.990 --> 0:03:48.750 Runners, and we just figured, you know what? Let's give 0:03:48.750 --> 0:03:51.930 people something to listen to while they're putting in all 0:03:51.930 --> 0:03:55.200 those miles, training for the TCS New York City Marathon 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:55.920 or whatever it is. 0:03:56.130 --> 0:03:56.610 We need it. 0:03:56.610 --> 0:03:58.320 And here we are, a hundred episodes later. 0:03:58.410 --> 0:04:01.860 A hundred episodes, a year and a half. So many guests, 0:04:01.860 --> 0:04:06.060 so many member stories, and tons of races. So I 0:04:06.060 --> 0:04:08.910 can't even think about the miles and the minutes combined. 0:04:08.940 --> 0:04:12.809 But thank you all for listening, leaving the reviews and 0:04:13.200 --> 0:04:16.110 keeping us going, because we do it all for you 0:04:16.110 --> 0:04:19.320 guys, and obviously our love of running, which is huge. 0:04:20.430 --> 0:04:22.650 But yeah, and here's too many more, we're ready for 0:04:22.650 --> 0:04:25.560 the Comma Club. We're ready for a thousand episodes, right? 0:04:25.740 --> 0:04:26.849 He's going to be sick of me. 0:04:28.020 --> 0:04:30.390 Let's be happy we made it to a hundred. I'm happy with that. 0:04:30.990 --> 0:04:35.370 But I think for me, my favorite part of doing 0:04:35.370 --> 0:04:37.589 this is when I'm at races, I was just at 0:04:37.589 --> 0:04:40.860 a race this past Sunday. We had the Run as One 0:04:41.400 --> 0:04:43.710 4M, in Central Park. Who ran that? Anybody run this 0:04:43.710 --> 0:04:44.460 past weekend? 0:04:44.460 --> 0:04:45.630 Yay. Awesome. 0:04:45.690 --> 0:04:47.880 It was a good day to run, good running weather, a 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:49.380 little damp, but turned out to be a pretty good 0:04:49.380 --> 0:04:52.290 day to run. And I'm at the finish line of 0:04:52.290 --> 0:04:55.980 these races, Becs, and I just love how many people 0:04:56.130 --> 0:04:57.690 come up to me, give me a high five at 0:04:57.690 --> 0:04:59.940 the finish line and say, " Thank you so much for 0:04:59.940 --> 0:05:03.720 the podcast. Love listening to it. Where's Becs?" They usually say, " 0:05:03.720 --> 0:05:07.020 Where's Becs?" They want to know where Becs is. They all want me to say hi to 0:05:07.020 --> 0:05:07.291 you, so hi. 0:05:07.291 --> 0:05:08.490 Hi. Thank you. 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:12.180 But it's just great that people are finding some value 0:05:12.180 --> 0:05:15.299 in it,.and I think the value is the conversations and 0:05:15.300 --> 0:05:18.210 the stories and the incredible people that we've had on the 0:05:18.210 --> 0:05:21.120 show, the incredible stories that they have. So many of 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:22.471 them, which we'll talk about some a little bit later on today. 0:05:22.471 --> 0:05:23.730 Surely. Did you run this weekend? 0:05:24.180 --> 0:05:25.169 I did run, I did. 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:26.311 Did you break your four- mile PR? 0:05:26.311 --> 0:05:30.750 I did not. I did not break my four- mile PR. That's going 0:05:30.750 --> 0:05:32.580 to be a hard PR for me to break. I 0:05:32.580 --> 0:05:36.210 was in a really good speed zone about a year 0:05:36.210 --> 0:05:38.910 ago, and I ran a great time in that, that exact 0:05:38.910 --> 0:05:40.320 same race, the Run as One. 0:05:41.220 --> 0:05:42.240 You got me to do it too somehow. 0:05:42.450 --> 0:05:45.570 It's a great course. I love that course because you get 0:05:45.630 --> 0:05:48.570 Cat Hill out of the way early, and the first 0:05:48.570 --> 0:05:51.240 mile you go right up that thing and it's over, 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:52.890 and then you can kind of look forward to going 0:05:52.890 --> 0:05:55.171 downhill toward the ends. It's a great course. 0:05:55.171 --> 0:05:57.660 And you don't see the judgy cat, which I like. 0:05:58.050 --> 0:05:58.530 Yeah. 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:02.041 Yeah. You won't know, you don't know my feelings about the judgy cat, versus our friend, Abbey Fuller. 0:06:02.041 --> 0:06:02.339 That cat does have a judgy look. 0:06:02.339 --> 0:06:06.120 She loves the cat, I hate the cat. But I 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.150 love not seeing it. But yes, congratulations to everybody who 0:06:09.150 --> 0:06:10.920 ran it. It was a bit of a miserable day. 0:06:11.400 --> 0:06:12.270 It turned out okay. 0:06:12.270 --> 0:06:13.380 I think for running, it was pretty good. 0:06:13.380 --> 0:06:18.210 But it cleared up, and it turned out okay. And Becs, April is a busy month. That was really 0:06:18.210 --> 0:06:20.130 just the beginning of things for us in the month 0:06:20.130 --> 0:06:22.950 of April, that great race presented of course by J. 0:06:22.950 --> 0:06:25.440 P. Morgan Chase. The run is one 4- miler. By 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:28.529 the way, the winners of that race, Roberta Groner won 0:06:28.529 --> 0:06:34.830 the women's side, 21 minutes, 27 seconds. She continues to 0:06:35.099 --> 0:06:35.400 just amaze. 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:36.000 But those hills. 0:06:38.070 --> 0:06:39.690 She is an incredible athlete. 0:06:39.990 --> 0:06:40.140 Unreal. 0:06:40.140 --> 0:06:42.450 On the non- binary side, it was Elijah Taylor who's 0:06:42.450 --> 0:06:44.279 won a lot the last year or so with 22:29. 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:46.020 Yikes. 0:06:46.110 --> 0:06:49.409 And on the men's side, Devin Hart's clocking in at 0:06:49.410 --> 0:06:52.561 19 minutes and nine seconds for that race. 0:06:52.561 --> 0:06:52.830 That is so fast. 0:06:52.830 --> 0:06:56.820 So that was an incredible day for Devin Hart. So 0:06:56.820 --> 0:06:59.400 congrats to the winners. And we're right back out there 0:06:59.490 --> 0:07:02.730 this weekend, Becs, with another 4- mile race. This is 0:07:02.730 --> 0:07:05.640 the Retro Run, that we go. Who's running the Retro 0:07:05.640 --> 0:07:06.960 Run? Anybody signed up to run this weekend? 0:07:06.961 --> 0:07:07.530 Yay. Great. 0:07:08.130 --> 0:07:10.500 The Retro Run is, if you don't know, is a 0:07:10.500 --> 0:07:14.400 run where we invite everybody to show up wearing retro 0:07:14.400 --> 0:07:19.320 styles, retro clothes, the short shorts, so much the '70s, and the '80s. 0:07:19.650 --> 0:07:20.730 And the high socks. 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:23.310 You won't catch me wearing those, but some people wear 0:07:23.310 --> 0:07:24.540 those. A lot of tie- dye. 0:07:24.540 --> 0:07:26.100 You got to ask Quasi, he might tell you to wear those. 0:07:26.670 --> 0:07:29.580 Oh, yeah. Our fashion guest, that's right, from a couple 0:07:29.580 --> 0:07:31.395 of weeks ago. He could tell me to wear them. 0:07:31.395 --> 0:07:34.770 It's not going to happen. I am not putting those 0:07:34.770 --> 0:07:37.020 things on. But somebody can do it, and I'd love 0:07:37.020 --> 0:07:37.950 to see a picture of that. 0:07:37.950 --> 0:07:40.620 We want headbands and all sorts, right? The vibe. 0:07:40.620 --> 0:07:42.330 Definitely headbands. We want the headbands, like the tube socks. 0:07:42.330 --> 0:07:43.170 Tube socks. 0:07:43.860 --> 0:07:47.070 Pulled up nice and high. So you got to definitely dust 0:07:47.070 --> 0:07:50.490 off your best look. Go to whatever thrift shop you 0:07:50.490 --> 0:07:52.680 need to go to to find some old running gear. 0:07:52.830 --> 0:07:55.230 So that's the retro 4- miler coming up this weekend. 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:59.010 Then on Saturday, April 19th, we'll be out at Icon 0:07:59.010 --> 0:08:02.010 Stadium for the kids, the New York Road Runners Spring 0:08:02.010 --> 0:08:07.215 Jamboree, presented by TCS, which is a great event. It's 0:08:07.215 --> 0:08:09.390 so great to see the kids out there on the 0:08:09.390 --> 0:08:12.960 track. And then the month wraps up on April 27th 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:17.400 back in Central Park for the Maybelline Women's half, which 0:08:19.260 --> 0:08:20.460 is an awesome day. 0:08:20.460 --> 0:08:20.670 One of my favorites. It's the best. 0:08:21.510 --> 0:08:22.560 It is a great race. 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:22.621 It really is. It really is. 0:08:22.621 --> 0:08:26.700 Actually, so many women love the chance to go out, 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:30.000 run that distance just with other women. I don't know, 0:08:30.000 --> 0:08:30.840 have you run that race? 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:33.480 Yeah, I podiumed in it a couple of years ago. 0:08:33.570 --> 0:08:38.580 Well, excuse me. Of course you did. What was special 0:08:38.580 --> 0:08:38.941 for you about running that race? 0:08:38.941 --> 0:08:42.360 It was my first official race after having Tallulah. 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:44.520 Wow. 0:08:44.610 --> 0:08:49.590 Yeah. And I cried hysterically when I ran past her, because 0:08:49.590 --> 0:08:53.790 she was this tiny little dot strapped onto Austin, and 0:08:53.790 --> 0:08:56.880 I just broke down. And the girl I was running 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.940 with, bless her. She, A, at the moment, she was like, " 0:08:59.940 --> 0:09:03.150 You're a mom?" I was like, " Yeah, that was my 0:09:03.150 --> 0:09:06.179 baby, that's why I'm crying." And she was ever so 0:09:06.179 --> 0:09:07.979 sweet. And she's like, " Just imagine what she's going to 0:09:07.980 --> 0:09:10.320 think of you one day." I was like, " Oh." That 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:14.220 was women coming together, and it was truly magnificent to 0:09:14.220 --> 0:09:15.060 see her at the finish. 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:20.340 That's really sweet. Becs was just telling me before the show that Tallulah is going to take 0:09:20.340 --> 0:09:22.890 on her first New York Road Runners race a little bit 0:09:22.890 --> 0:09:24.300 later this year. 0:09:24.300 --> 0:09:28.230 Yeah. She is. And if she doesn't win, you'll hear her. 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:32.821 That's going to be at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. 0:09:32.821 --> 0:09:32.822 Hopefully. 0:09:32.822 --> 0:09:34.290 Is that the plan? 0:09:34.320 --> 0:09:34.740 That's the plan. 0:09:34.740 --> 0:09:36.211 That's what the coaches have slotted for her. 0:09:36.211 --> 0:09:36.541 Yeah. 0:09:36.720 --> 0:09:37.650 That's her big debut. 0:09:37.650 --> 0:09:39.180 Mom and poppy coach have got it in. 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:41.071 I can't wait for that. 0:09:41.071 --> 0:09:41.371 I know. 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:43.440 We start them as young as two, if you don't 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:45.990 know, at New York Road Runners, and those two- year- 0:09:45.990 --> 0:09:49.559 old races, I dare you to find something cuter than 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:54.510 that thing. These little kids toddling down, some with parents, 0:09:54.510 --> 0:09:56.040 some without. You said you were going to let her go 0:09:56.040 --> 0:09:57.420 on her own, right? No hand- holding. 0:09:57.420 --> 0:09:59.640 I'm a tough love mom. I'm like, " You can do this 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:02.250 by yourself baby girl." She'll be just under three, so 0:10:02.250 --> 0:10:03.179 I think that's fine. 0:10:03.300 --> 0:10:03.660 I love it. 0:10:03.660 --> 0:10:07.050 Austin might have another idea. He'll probably be, she's a 0:10:07.050 --> 0:10:09.870 daddy's girl so he might be glued to her. We'll see. 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:13.530 I can't wait, I can't wait to see that. And then also, Becs, another big 0:10:13.530 --> 0:10:15.960 thing about April, not just at New York Road Runners, 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:20.370 but everywhere. It is Global Volunteer Month, which is huge 0:10:20.370 --> 0:10:20.670 for us here. 0:10:20.670 --> 0:10:21.059 Huge. Yeah. 0:10:21.390 --> 0:10:24.090 Because if anyone has ever run any New York Road 0:10:24.090 --> 0:10:28.770 Runners race, you know how crucial volunteers are to everything 0:10:29.010 --> 0:10:32.280 that we do, and we're really excited to thank them 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:36.059 this entire month. Our volunteer team is celebrating all of 0:10:36.059 --> 0:10:38.610 you, not only this month but every race throughout the 0:10:38.610 --> 0:10:40.559 year. And so to that end, Becs, we're going to 0:10:40.559 --> 0:10:43.979 have a very special member moment on today's show. Our 0:10:43.980 --> 0:10:46.020 member's going to be a familiar face to New York 0:10:46.020 --> 0:10:50.700 Road Runners, longtime volunteer, Janelle Hartman will be here later 0:10:50.700 --> 0:10:57.089 in the show to talk about her amazing run as one 0:10:57.090 --> 0:10:58.829 of our top, top volunteers. 0:10:58.890 --> 0:11:01.290 Really. And it's also, I know it's not in our 0:11:01.290 --> 0:11:04.650 show notes, sorry Catherine, but it's Earth Day this month 0:11:04.650 --> 0:11:08.220 too. And I think that ties in really nicely to 0:11:08.220 --> 0:11:10.500 our volunteers and all of the great things that New York 0:11:10.500 --> 0:11:13.620 Road Runners are doing to be earth- conscious with our 0:11:13.620 --> 0:11:18.840 runs, and we're helping encourage people to hold onto their 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:21.809 trash while they're running. Shove those gel packets in your 0:11:21.809 --> 0:11:23.880 shorts. All the tech gear these days has plenty of 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:27.179 pockets, so use them. Don't use the ground, okay, spread 0:11:27.179 --> 0:11:31.530 that word around. It's plenty, New York trash... I hate 0:11:31.530 --> 0:11:35.550 saying that word, bins are, they're big receptacles. Like you 0:11:35.550 --> 0:11:40.199 have the space to dodge and pop your plastic bottle 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:43.110 if you're using one, in. So let's celebrate Earth Day 0:11:43.110 --> 0:11:45.660 with Healthy Earth Running as well this month. 0:11:45.660 --> 0:11:49.710 We will be celebrating it throughout the month. I know 0:11:49.710 --> 0:11:51.959 we're going to have some clogging events where you can 0:11:51.960 --> 0:11:54.870 run and pick up trash and other things to celebrate 0:11:54.870 --> 0:11:56.640 that. So April is a great month. We just need to get 0:11:56.640 --> 0:11:58.829 a little bit warmer, that will be nice. A little 0:11:58.830 --> 0:12:00.660 warmer, 30- something degrees in April. Not what we need? 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:02.220 There's snow Upstate. 0:12:02.910 --> 0:12:02.910 Yeah. Yeah. But that'll happen, inevitably that will happen. 0:12:02.910 --> 0:12:08.130 Yeah. Looking for new ways to keep you moving? 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Peloton, the official digital fitness partner for 0:12:44.070 --> 0:12:44.940 New York Road Runners. 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:49.020 All right, well, Becs, this show started out with me 0:12:49.020 --> 0:12:51.150 and one of the legends of running here in New 0:12:51.150 --> 0:12:57.150 York, taking on our very first episode, Meb Keflezighi. Meb, I 0:12:57.150 --> 0:13:02.010 want to have you come on up here to the stage to 0:13:02.010 --> 0:13:02.371 join us. 0:13:02.371 --> 0:13:02.910 Yay, Meb. 0:13:07.410 --> 0:13:11.610 Meb is a man who needs really no introduction around 0:13:11.610 --> 0:13:15.540 New York. I love walking around with Meb on marathon 0:13:15.540 --> 0:13:19.320 weekends, whether it's in Boston or New York or wherever 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:22.290 you might be, because it's like walking around with Paul 0:13:22.290 --> 0:13:26.580 McCartney. People are grabbing him, they are stopping him. They 0:13:26.580 --> 0:13:29.520 are taking pictures with him. You really can't go anywhere 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:33.030 with Meb on a big marathon weekend. But for those 0:13:33.030 --> 0:13:38.460 who don't know, this man is a 2004 Olympic silver medalist 0:13:38.520 --> 0:13:43.949 in Athens. In 2009 he became the first American since 0:13:43.950 --> 0:13:50.040 1982 to win the New York City Marathon. Follow that 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:54.840 up in 2014 with a win at the Boston Marathon, becoming 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:59.819 the first American man to win there since 1983. An 0:13:59.820 --> 0:14:05.099 unbelievable career this man has had. I'm just going to 0:14:05.100 --> 0:14:07.949 keep embarrassing you, if you don't mind. In 2015, he 0:14:07.950 --> 0:14:11.250 set a TCS New York City Marathon Masters event record 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:15.540 with a time of 2:13: 32. And he's someone we just 0:14:15.540 --> 0:14:18.209 love having around at New York Road Runners, and we 0:14:18.210 --> 0:14:21.600 could not have launched this podcast without him. So Meb, 0:14:21.600 --> 0:14:22.770 welcome back to the show. 0:14:23.310 --> 0:14:25.560 Thank you, Rob, it's great to be here. Thanks Becs. I'm honored 0:14:26.070 --> 0:14:29.280 to be here. And this historic place, what a wonderful 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:31.770 journey it has been. Thanks for a wonderful introduction. But New York 0:14:31.980 --> 0:14:34.170 Road Runners have been a big journey, part of my life. 0:14:34.980 --> 0:14:36.990 We are so honored to have you here. I feel 0:14:36.990 --> 0:14:40.530 like Rob's correct, you can't go anywhere when you are 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:43.980 in a city with a major running event, but it 0:14:43.980 --> 0:14:47.580 is so phenomenal to see, and you're not only known 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:51.120 for your incredible contributions to the running world as a runner 0:14:51.120 --> 0:14:54.000 yourself, but also as a philanthropist. You have your MEB 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:57.570 Foundation, which has been one of the biggest things for 0:14:57.570 --> 0:15:01.560 you in your life to help runners continue, and help 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:03.960 everybody come into running, right? 0:15:04.620 --> 0:15:07.410 Absolutely. My running started when I was in seventh grade 0:15:07.410 --> 0:15:10.380 to get an A and a T- shirt. And when 0:15:10.380 --> 0:15:12.210 I ran as hard as I could, a PE teacher 0:15:12.210 --> 0:15:14.910 named Duke Lorde says, " You're going to go to the Olympics." 0:15:14.910 --> 0:15:18.870 Because I ran a 5: 20 during physical education class and 0:15:18.870 --> 0:15:18.990 I said- 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:23.520 Wait a second, let's just, say that again. In eighth grade- 0:15:23.730 --> 0:15:24.330 Seventh grade. 0:15:24.330 --> 0:15:27.660 Seventh grade. Seventh grade you ran a 5: 20 mile. 0:15:27.810 --> 0:15:30.120 You had never really run before, they just sent you 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:32.430 out there and said, " Go run a mile, see what happens." 0:15:32.490 --> 0:15:35.670 Just basically my oldest brothers have a T- shirt that 0:15:35.670 --> 0:15:38.760 says Roosevelt Junior High Mile Club T- shirt. And he 0:15:38.760 --> 0:15:41.010 told the whole class, " If you run hard, I'm going 0:15:41.010 --> 0:15:42.810 to give you A or a B. If I see 0:15:42.810 --> 0:15:44.220 you mess around or go for a run, you're going to 0:15:44.220 --> 0:15:47.070 get a D or a F." I didn't want to disappoint my parents, so 0:15:47.070 --> 0:15:49.020 I ran as hard as I could. I was a soccer 0:15:49.020 --> 0:15:51.540 player before, but I never ran in my entire life. In 0:15:51.540 --> 0:15:54.990 fact, when I saw first people running, I saw, what are 0:15:54.990 --> 0:15:58.500 they doing? They're not chasing anything. So I became one 0:15:58.500 --> 0:16:01.200 of those crazy people because in seventh grade I ran at 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.200 a 5: 20 miles. And I grew up in Eritrea 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:07.290 without electricity, no running water. So he says, " You're going to go to 0:16:07.410 --> 0:16:11.850 the Olympics." I'm like, A, T- shirt." That's all I 0:16:11.850 --> 0:16:14.340 knew. And he called the high school coach and says, 0:16:14.340 --> 0:16:15.900 this little one's going to be a really good one. 0:16:15.900 --> 0:16:17.430 And then the rest is history. 0:16:17.850 --> 0:16:19.680 I would love to know the splits in that mile, 0:16:19.680 --> 0:16:22.350 Meb. I really would like to know whether that was 0:16:22.350 --> 0:16:24.180 a negative split for you, that mile. I'm going to 0:16:24.180 --> 0:16:26.940 guess not, since you probably just took off running as 0:16:26.940 --> 0:16:27.930 fast as you could. 0:16:28.440 --> 0:16:30.840 Rob, I took off like crazy because it was not 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:33.750 around the track either, it was more, if you're ever 0:16:33.750 --> 0:16:36.990 in San Diego next to the zoo, there's a middle 0:16:36.990 --> 0:16:39.450 school, you run around the baseball field, go down the 0:16:39.450 --> 0:16:42.900 ramp around the softball field and the finish come up 0:16:42.900 --> 0:16:45.359 the ramp. And he has to have a difficult job 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:47.670 because he has to keep a eye on me, but 0:16:47.670 --> 0:16:50.370 also on the back of the people because they don't 0:16:50.370 --> 0:16:53.490 want them to cut. But to be able to just 0:16:53.520 --> 0:16:56.490 run that fast and for me was eye- opening, and that was 0:16:56.820 --> 0:16:59.040 my God- given talent. And I want to make my 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:01.620 parents proud to get an A, and then to get 0:17:01.620 --> 0:17:03.570 the T- shirt because I want to be like my brothers. 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:12.000 Fred LeBeau had the quote I often use, " Never underestimate 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:15.450 the power of a free T- shirt." And in this 0:17:15.450 --> 0:17:16.981 case it actually ended up minting an Olympian. 0:17:16.981 --> 0:17:17.100 Testament. 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:20.490 So that's pretty impressive power of the T- shirt right there. 0:17:20.700 --> 0:17:23.310 Yeah, who knows how many other Olympians have followed that, 0:17:23.340 --> 0:17:28.890 Fred LeBeau. Talking of quotes, let's talk about Meb's, one 0:17:28.890 --> 0:17:31.169 of your quotes. Okay. So if you run with me 0:17:31.170 --> 0:17:33.149 at Peloton, people have heard me say forward is a 0:17:33.150 --> 0:17:36.270 pace, and that is my mantra because I believe that 0:17:36.270 --> 0:17:38.100 doesn't matter how fast you're running, as long as you 0:17:38.100 --> 0:17:40.980 keep moving, that's the most important thing, you're moving forward. 0:17:41.640 --> 0:17:46.050 Yours is, " run to win." Okay. Can you talk to 0:17:46.050 --> 0:17:49.560 us about what you mean when you say that, and 0:17:49.830 --> 0:17:55.050 how can we apply that to all aspects of our life? 0:17:56.250 --> 0:18:00.660 The New York Road Runners have a great, it says inspiring to run in 0:18:00.780 --> 0:18:03.750 generation to come. The mission of the New York Runners is to inspire 0:18:03.750 --> 0:18:07.260 people, and from point A to point B, from Staten 0:18:07.260 --> 0:18:10.080 Island all the way to Central Park. It's not how 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:13.890 fast, but whatever you are capable of doing, no gender 0:18:13.890 --> 0:18:18.930 or age or weight or all those things, getting there to the finish line, and " run to win," 0:18:18.930 --> 0:18:21.030 that's what it is, to get the best out of 0:18:21.030 --> 0:18:23.699 yourself. So when I started that, I was a sophomore 0:18:23.700 --> 0:18:26.190 in high school, if I go to the state meet 0:18:26.580 --> 0:18:29.520 and I finished fifth at the state meet, about four 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:31.679 people were better than me, that I really have a 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:34.020 place to complain, because if I run a PR, that's the 0:18:34.020 --> 0:18:36.570 fastest time I ever run. Four people were better than 0:18:36.570 --> 0:18:39.960 me, then that's what " run to win" is, because I 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:42.540 got the best out of myself. And how you can 0:18:42.540 --> 0:18:45.270 apply that in real life is, we are some of 0:18:45.270 --> 0:18:47.670 our parents, we want to be a good example to 0:18:47.940 --> 0:18:50.880 kids, make sure they eat the right nutrition, make sure 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:54.389 we introduce them to exercise, because we know like New 0:18:54.420 --> 0:18:58.290 York City marathons, 55,000 people run across the finish line, 0:18:58.650 --> 0:19:01.350 but at the middle school or high school, run is 0:19:01.350 --> 0:19:05.430 not seen as a positivity or it's, " Oh, you're late 0:19:05.430 --> 0:19:07.830 for basketball or you're late for football, give me a 0:19:07.830 --> 0:19:10.710 lap." It's a punishment. But we know that in real 0:19:10.710 --> 0:19:14.280 life, running is a therapy, running is for the head 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:16.980 and mind and body, is huge. So to be able 0:19:16.980 --> 0:19:20.490 to do that in an example, and I try to be 0:19:20.490 --> 0:19:23.100 a good parent to tell my kids that, " Hey, you 0:19:23.100 --> 0:19:25.890 got to work hard. By working hard, amazing things can 0:19:25.890 --> 0:19:28.470