1 00:00:00,210 --> 00:00:03,210 Rob: New York Road Runners is a non- profit organization with 2 00:00:03,210 --> 00:00:06,570 Rob: a vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through 3 00:00:06,570 --> 00:00:10,230 Rob: the transformative power of running. The support of members and 4 00:00:10,230 --> 00:00:13,860 Rob: donors like you helps us achieve our mission to transform 5 00:00:13,860 --> 00:00:17,130 Rob: the health and well- being of our communities through inclusive 6 00:00:17,130 --> 00:00:21,390 Rob: and accessible running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,980 Rob: Learn more and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,409 Ted Metellus: Thank you, New York. Today, we're reminded of the power 9 00:00:34,409 --> 00:00:39,840 Ted Metellus: of community and the power of coming together. Athletes, on your mark. 10 00:00:41,970 --> 00:00:45,510 Speaker 3: The first woman to finish for the second straight year 11 00:00:45,510 --> 00:00:49,140 Speaker 3: here in the New York City Marathon is Miki Gorman, a smiling 12 00:00:49,140 --> 00:00:52,590 Speaker 3: Miki Gorman. And why not? 2: 29:30, the time for Grete Waitz. 13 00:00:53,910 --> 00:00:56,550 Speaker 4: Look at the emotion of Shalane Flanagan as she comes 14 00:00:56,550 --> 00:00:59,850 Speaker 4: to the line. Pointing to his chest, pointing to the 15 00:00:59,850 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 4: USA he so proudly wears across his chest. A great 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,100 Speaker 4: day for Matt Zukowski. 17 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,610 Rob: Hey everybody and welcome to a special live edition of 18 00:01:14,610 --> 00:01:24,240 Rob: Set the Pace. That's right. We got an amazing audience here as we do 19 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,090 Rob: the official podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by 20 00:01:27,090 --> 00:01:31,200 Rob: Peloton. We are here at the Hard Rock Cafe right 21 00:01:31,620 --> 00:01:33,840 Rob: in the middle of Times Square in New York City 22 00:01:34,020 --> 00:01:37,290 Rob: for this special episode. And I'm thrilled to be joined 23 00:01:37,290 --> 00:01:40,740 Rob: as always, but in person, in the flesh by my co- 24 00:01:40,740 --> 00:01:43,620 Rob: host Becs Gentry. How cool is this, Becs, to have 25 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:44,640 Rob: this great crowd with us? 26 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,360 Becs Gentry: This is amazing. I love having people around me. My classes 27 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:49,980 Becs Gentry: are not the same when there's not people in the 28 00:01:49,980 --> 00:01:52,920 Becs Gentry: room. If anyone does train with me, I think I'm 29 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,550 Becs Gentry: really funny at the best of times, so it's actually good 30 00:01:56,550 --> 00:01:57,810 Becs Gentry: to have people in the room to check me that I'm 31 00:01:57,810 --> 00:01:58,680 Becs Gentry: not actually that funny. 32 00:01:58,740 --> 00:02:05,940 Rob: Oh, you're hilarious. What are you talking about? You're going to get lots of laughs here today. This is a special event. And not only is it a live taping of Set the 33 00:02:05,940 --> 00:02:08,970 Rob: Pace, this is a special event we're having for our members. 34 00:02:08,970 --> 00:02:11,130 Rob: We have these events from time to time in New 35 00:02:11,130 --> 00:02:15,810 Rob: York, member- only invitation events, come, mingle, have some snacks, 36 00:02:15,810 --> 00:02:18,450 Rob: some drinks, and so we decided to have a podcast in 37 00:02:18,450 --> 00:02:20,970 Rob: the middle of that, and I can't believe people actually 38 00:02:20,970 --> 00:02:23,760 Rob: showed up. So we've actually got people here to join 39 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,410 Rob: us, and we're just thrilled to have you all here 40 00:02:25,620 --> 00:02:28,650 Rob: and want to thank you all for being members of New York 41 00:02:28,650 --> 00:02:31,799 Rob: Road Runners, because without you all, none of this happens. 42 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,930 Rob: None of this happens at New York Road Runners, the 43 00:02:33,930 --> 00:02:36,990 Rob: races, the events, this podcast, none of it happens without 44 00:02:36,990 --> 00:02:40,050 Rob: your support. So thank you in the room. Thanks to 45 00:02:40,050 --> 00:02:43,590 Rob: everybody who is out there supporting us as members every 46 00:02:43,590 --> 00:02:46,440 Rob: single day and week, week in and week out. All 47 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,110 Rob: right, before we get to our unbelievable guest lineup today, 48 00:02:49,110 --> 00:02:51,089 Rob: and we've got a great set of guests today. 49 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:51,419 Becs Gentry: Yeah, we do. 50 00:02:51,419 --> 00:02:56,160 Rob: Headlined by two of the greatest race directors in the history 51 00:02:56,310 --> 00:02:59,550 Rob: of the New York City Marathon. Of course, the current race 52 00:02:59,550 --> 00:03:06,600 Rob: director, Ted Metellus, and Legend of New York Road Runners, 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,410 Rob: former CEO and race director of the TCS New York City 54 00:03:10,410 --> 00:03:12,419 Rob: Marathon, Mary Wittenberg. 55 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:14,040 Becs Gentry: Woo- hoo. 56 00:03:14,100 --> 00:03:16,230 Rob: They're both going to come out and join us in 57 00:03:16,230 --> 00:03:21,360 Rob: just a little while to tell us all about being race 58 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,002 Rob: director, what that job is (inaudible) . 59 00:03:24,002 --> 00:03:24,003 Becs Gentry: What a job. What a job. 60 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:27,299 Rob: I'm the CEO, I'm not race director of anything. 61 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:30,930 Becs Gentry: He cannot help you get into the race, is what he's saying. 62 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,290 Rob: I'm glad you said that, I'm glad you said that. 63 00:03:34,530 --> 00:03:38,250 Rob: But I rely so much on Ted for his unbelievable 64 00:03:38,250 --> 00:03:41,070 Rob: expertise when it comes to putting on the greatest races 65 00:03:41,070 --> 00:03:43,110 Rob: in the world. So, we'll talk to Ted and Mary 66 00:03:43,110 --> 00:03:46,170 Rob: about everything that goes into putting on these great races. 67 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,650 Rob: Speaking of great races, we had a great race, a 68 00:03:49,650 --> 00:03:53,790 Rob: chilly but sunny race yesterday in Central Park. This one 69 00:03:53,790 --> 00:03:54,901 Rob: wasn't Central Park, the Fred Lebow- 70 00:03:54,901 --> 00:03:54,902 Becs Gentry: I'm not going to live that one down. 71 00:03:54,901 --> 00:04:00,630 Rob: ... Half Marathon yesterday. It was cold but warmer than 72 00:04:00,630 --> 00:04:02,400 Rob: it had been, so I think people felt pretty good 73 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,330 Rob: about the weather yesterday. We had about 4, 800 finishers. 74 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:06,540 Becs Gentry: Wow. 75 00:04:06,570 --> 00:04:08,251 Rob: Raise your hand, make some noise if you ran yesterday. 76 00:04:08,251 --> 00:04:08,611 Becs Gentry: Yeah, did you run? 77 00:04:08,670 --> 00:04:10,740 Rob: Who ran here in the room? 78 00:04:10,740 --> 00:04:10,891 Becs Gentry: Look at that. 79 00:04:10,891 --> 00:04:14,520 Rob: All right. We got a smattering of brave souls who went 80 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:15,150 Rob: out there- 81 00:04:15,150 --> 00:04:15,151 Becs Gentry: Congratulations. 82 00:04:15,151 --> 00:04:19,650 Rob: ... n the cold and ran the half- marathon yesterday. It was a great 83 00:04:19,650 --> 00:04:22,020 Rob: day. We had some very fast finishes, by the way. 84 00:04:22,021 --> 00:04:22,381 Becs Gentry: We did. 85 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,560 Rob: The winner on the men's side was Jaouad El Jazouli, a time 86 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,550 Rob: of 1: 07: 17, from Garden State Track Club. 87 00:04:29,550 --> 00:04:30,660 Becs Gentry: Positively pedestrian. 88 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,320 Rob: By the way, that's not one, that's not two, but that 89 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:39,330 Rob: is three times up Harlem Hill. So any time like 90 00:04:39,330 --> 00:04:41,940 Rob: that is just legendary. By the way, he won the 91 00:04:41,940 --> 00:04:44,130 Rob: Joe. K 10K as well a couple of weeks before 92 00:04:44,130 --> 00:04:46,950 Rob: that, so he's been on fire. On the women's side, 93 00:04:46,950 --> 00:04:50,339 Rob: it was Casey Nelson with the time of 1:20: 25. 94 00:04:50,490 --> 00:04:50,730 Becs Gentry: Excellent. 95 00:04:50,790 --> 00:04:53,820 Rob: And the non- binary winner was Elijah Taylor with a 96 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:58,260 Rob: time of 1: 21: 52. So, incredible times in Central 97 00:04:58,260 --> 00:04:59,190 Rob: Park this past weekend. 98 00:04:59,190 --> 00:05:01,650 Becs Gentry: So yeah, I think the cold weather does help. As much as 99 00:05:01,650 --> 00:05:03,960 Becs Gentry: I hate to say it, I'm a fair weather runner, 100 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:06,210 Becs Gentry: for sure, but I think the cold weather helps. 101 00:05:06,450 --> 00:05:08,161 Rob: It helps once you get going, for me. 102 00:05:08,161 --> 00:05:08,311 Becs Gentry: Yes., 103 00:05:08,820 --> 00:05:10,830 Rob: It makes it really hard to even get to the 104 00:05:10,830 --> 00:05:15,570 Rob: starting line. But yes, after a few miles you just kind of feel 105 00:05:15,570 --> 00:05:16,350 Rob: the refreshments. 106 00:05:16,350 --> 00:05:18,900 Becs Gentry: You do, you do. And the sunny day and all the 107 00:05:18,900 --> 00:05:21,000 Becs Gentry: volunteers as well. Thank you as always. 108 00:05:21,450 --> 00:05:24,960 Rob: I apologize to Ted Metellus, our race director, who was 109 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,650 Rob: the man yesterday getting that race done. I will confess, 110 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,350 Rob: Becs, I was not in Central Park for the race yesterday. 111 00:05:31,890 --> 00:05:35,700 Rob: I was in Miami. That's right. As our staff was 112 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:38,910 Rob: out there putting in the hard hours, getting that race 113 00:05:38,910 --> 00:05:39,630 Rob: off the ground- 114 00:05:39,930 --> 00:05:40,979 Becs Gentry: Was it raining in Miami though? 115 00:05:40,979 --> 00:05:42,510 Rob: ... I was still in Miami because I had been 116 00:05:42,510 --> 00:05:44,970 Rob: there for a meeting of the Abbott World Marathon Majors 117 00:05:44,970 --> 00:05:47,160 Rob: Board, and I stayed until Sunday. 118 00:05:48,330 --> 00:05:48,750 Becs Gentry: There you go. Why not? 119 00:05:48,750 --> 00:05:49,620 Rob: And it was lovely. 120 00:05:49,620 --> 00:05:50,940 Becs Gentry: I think we all do the same really, wouldn't we? Yeah. Yeah. 121 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,050 Rob: I can't say that I regret that decision, but I 122 00:05:55,050 --> 00:05:56,820 Rob: am very thankful to Ted and the team for putting on 123 00:05:56,820 --> 00:05:59,520 Rob: a great race yesterday. Of course, this weekend we got 124 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:00,001 Rob: another big one. 125 00:06:00,001 --> 00:06:00,361 Becs Gentry: Another one, 126 00:06:00,690 --> 00:06:03,779 Rob: And it's an exciting one, the NYR Manhattan 10K, who's 127 00:06:03,779 --> 00:06:06,450 Rob: running the Manhattan 10K this weekend. All right. A big 128 00:06:06,450 --> 00:06:09,120 Rob: set of people here running. This is exciting because we're 129 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,650 Rob: actually adding the Manhattan 10K to the New York Road 130 00:06:13,650 --> 00:06:17,039 Rob: Runners Five- Borough Race Series, so that race is getting 131 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,170 Rob: an upgrade. It's going to be exciting. We got a 132 00:06:19,170 --> 00:06:22,140 Rob: big field plan, and it's going to be exciting to 133 00:06:22,140 --> 00:06:24,570 Rob: have that be a part of our really biggest set 134 00:06:24,570 --> 00:06:25,589 Rob: of races all year long. 135 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,200 Becs Gentry: Yeah, absolutely. We're going to be seeing a lot more 136 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,289 Becs Gentry: names coming as well, so we'll see how those five 137 00:06:31,589 --> 00:06:35,250 Becs Gentry: borough challenges go. Ready to level up your running. With 138 00:06:35,250 --> 00:06:38,850 Becs Gentry: the Peloton Tread and Tread+, you can challenge yourself anytime, 139 00:06:38,910 --> 00:06:42,600 Becs Gentry: anywhere. Whether you're building strength or working on speed, Peloton 140 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,560 Becs Gentry: has a class for every goal, from 5 to 120 141 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,940 Becs Gentry: minute workouts. With muscle building classes and flexible training options, 142 00:06:51,300 --> 00:06:54,240 Becs Gentry: you'll have everything you need to crush your next race 143 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,289 Becs Gentry: and then recover from it. All access membership separate. Find 144 00:06:58,290 --> 00:07:04,409 Becs Gentry: your push, find your power at onepeloton. com/ race- training. 145 00:07:04,830 --> 00:07:08,880 Becs Gentry: Peloton, the official digital fitness partner for New York Road Runners. 146 00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:11,370 Rob: All right, well should we get to our unbelievable guest, Becs? 147 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,440 Becs Gentry: I think we should. Yeah, let's not keep everyone waiting. 148 00:07:13,590 --> 00:07:16,530 Rob: All right, so in honor of this past weekend's Fred 149 00:07:16,530 --> 00:07:19,290 Rob: Lebow Half, we actually are really kind of honoring Fred's 150 00:07:19,290 --> 00:07:23,730 Rob: successors with this conversation. Mary Wittenberg and Ted Metellus, two 151 00:07:23,790 --> 00:07:26,700 Rob: successors in that line of race directors at New York 152 00:07:26,700 --> 00:07:31,110 Rob: Road Runners. With literally decades of combined leadership experience between 153 00:07:31,110 --> 00:07:34,350 Rob: them, it's no stretch to say Mary and Ted have 154 00:07:34,350 --> 00:07:37,320 Rob: carried Fred's legacy in shaping the past, the present and 155 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,690 Rob: the future of not only the TCS New York City 156 00:07:39,690 --> 00:07:42,000 Rob: Marathon, but all of our races here at New York 157 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,560 Rob: Road Runners. For Mary's groundbreaking tenure as the first female 158 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,500 Rob: race director of the TCS New York City Marathon, to 159 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:52,950 Rob: Ted's current leadership as the first Black race director. These 160 00:07:52,950 --> 00:07:55,590 Rob: two trailblazers are here to talk to us about not 161 00:07:55,590 --> 00:07:58,380 Rob: just the most iconic race in the world, but the 162 00:07:58,380 --> 00:08:02,460 Rob: more than 40 yearly races that we produce every single 163 00:08:02,460 --> 00:08:05,400 Rob: year. And so we're so excited to have Ted and 164 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,020 Rob: Mary come out and join us. Come on out guys. 165 00:08:07,410 --> 00:08:07,770 Becs Gentry: Yay. Yay. 166 00:08:14,970 --> 00:08:18,151 Rob: Hello, Mary. Great to see you. What's up, Ted? 167 00:08:18,151 --> 00:08:21,930 Becs Gentry: We forgot to mention a combined friendship of over two decades 168 00:08:21,930 --> 00:08:24,150 Becs Gentry: as well of working. Isn't that incredible? 169 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:25,530 Rob: It's incredible. Grab a mic. 170 00:08:25,530 --> 00:08:26,820 Becs Gentry: Running brings everyone together. 171 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:30,240 Ted Metellus: Yeah, we coordinated outfits too 'cause we're both wearing hats. 172 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:30,991 Mary Wittenberg: Race directors wear hats. 173 00:08:30,991 --> 00:08:31,260 Becs Gentry: Race directors wear hats. 174 00:08:31,260 --> 00:08:34,320 Ted Metellus: There you go. We're still cold from yesterday. 175 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,110 Mary Wittenberg: We may be called at any moment to dash out 176 00:08:37,110 --> 00:08:38,002 Mary Wittenberg: and (inaudible) . 177 00:08:37,860 --> 00:08:40,830 Rob: It's what you do in January, especially when you're putting on 178 00:08:40,830 --> 00:08:44,219 Rob: races outside. Mary, I'm going to start with you. I 179 00:08:44,220 --> 00:08:47,280 Rob: talk to Ted nearly every day, and I love it, 180 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:48,750 Rob: but I'm going to start with you 'cause I don't get to 181 00:08:48,750 --> 00:08:53,130 Rob: talk to you as much. You are such an incredible 182 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,849 Rob: legacy and such a leader at New York Road Runners. 183 00:08:56,850 --> 00:09:00,210 Rob: You were CEO and race director for 10 years, from 184 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:05,070 Rob: 2005 to 2015, the first woman to lead the organization. 185 00:09:05,309 --> 00:09:09,059 Rob: You really brought the marathon from where it was, an 186 00:09:09,059 --> 00:09:12,090 Rob: incredible event, but one might say a more local event, 187 00:09:12,090 --> 00:09:15,270 Rob: to truly a global event as it is today. And 188 00:09:15,270 --> 00:09:17,850 Rob: you're still such a big part of the community. You're 189 00:09:17,850 --> 00:09:20,880 Rob: at races, you're running, people see you week in and 190 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,130 Rob: week out at our starting lines and our finish line. 191 00:09:23,670 --> 00:09:27,540 Rob: You're Mary, you're Mary at our races, and everyone knows 192 00:09:27,690 --> 00:09:32,190 Rob: who you're talking about when you talk about Mary. What did that period 193 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,840 Rob: mean to you, being in that position at the helm 194 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,020 Rob: of this organization and the role that you played in 195 00:09:40,350 --> 00:09:43,260 Rob: growing the running community here in New York and beyond? 196 00:09:43,260 --> 00:09:44,701 Rob: What did that mean to you when you look back on it? 197 00:09:44,701 --> 00:09:47,130 Mary Wittenberg: Well, thank you, Rob. First of all, I love all 198 00:09:47,130 --> 00:09:49,080 Mary Wittenberg: of you at New York Road Runners, and I love 199 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,780 Mary Wittenberg: the New York City running community. It is the greatest 200 00:09:51,780 --> 00:09:53,550 Mary Wittenberg: job in the world, and I was lucky to have 201 00:09:53,550 --> 00:09:57,719 Mary Wittenberg: both of them, right? I think it was just an 202 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,319 Mary Wittenberg: extraordinary time in life, and as I hope for everybody 203 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:06,000 Mary Wittenberg: here, running is part of our lives forever. And I 204 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,800 Mary Wittenberg: was extraordinarily lucky, I was going to work in sports. 205 00:10:11,250 --> 00:10:14,580 Mary Wittenberg: I happened to be a runner, and back then in the 206 00:10:15,270 --> 00:10:18,720 Mary Wittenberg: October of 1999, there weren't a lot of jobs in 207 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,780 Mary Wittenberg: running. So it was an incredible opportunity. And we can 208 00:10:21,780 --> 00:10:24,240 Mary Wittenberg: talk more a lot more about it, but what to 209 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,390 Mary Wittenberg: me, what's super interesting about the time, and now that 210 00:10:27,390 --> 00:10:29,189 Mary Wittenberg: I look at the history of New York Road Runners, 211 00:10:29,429 --> 00:10:32,730 Mary Wittenberg: we've had real highs and we've had lows, and then 212 00:10:32,730 --> 00:10:35,250 Mary Wittenberg: we come back up and we have real highs. And 213 00:10:35,790 --> 00:10:39,840 Mary Wittenberg: through it all, our mission is to be there to 214 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,710 Mary Wittenberg: get more people moving and transforming their lives through running, 215 00:10:43,710 --> 00:10:47,370 Mary Wittenberg: right? And what's interesting about the time when I joined, 216 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,670 Mary Wittenberg: we were in a low. And I knew we were 217 00:10:50,670 --> 00:10:55,530 Mary Wittenberg: in low because the board member who encouraged me to 218 00:10:55,860 --> 00:10:58,380 Mary Wittenberg: talk to New York Road Runners, I was interviewing for 219 00:10:58,380 --> 00:11:00,599 Mary Wittenberg: a job at the National Hockey League and he worked 220 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:06,360 Mary Wittenberg: there, he said, " We need to bring this organization back 221 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:12,240 Mary Wittenberg: and forward." What I didn't realize, relative to today, is 222 00:11:13,230 --> 00:11:18,689 Mary Wittenberg: it's because it was an organization in mourning. It took 223 00:11:18,690 --> 00:11:21,690 Mary Wittenberg: me years to realize this. It was only four years 224 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:26,790 Mary Wittenberg: from when Fred had died. Fred Lebow, there will never 225 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:32,250 Mary Wittenberg: ever be another Fred Lebow. He was so much larger 226 00:11:32,250 --> 00:11:37,170 Mary Wittenberg: than life. He bonded with this group of merry committed 227 00:11:37,170 --> 00:11:42,000 Mary Wittenberg: runners in the Bronx in New York City and he 228 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:48,780 Mary Wittenberg: saw what they had could be something for everybody, and 229 00:11:48,780 --> 00:11:52,320 Mary Wittenberg: literally took this gem of running and running community and 230 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,520 Mary Wittenberg: he took it global. He created the Five Borough New 231 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,760 Mary Wittenberg: York City Marathon with Ted and Ellen and all the 232 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,540 Mary Wittenberg: people we can talk about, but larger than life. He 233 00:12:03,540 --> 00:12:06,210 Mary Wittenberg: was on the news all the time. Tom Brokaw would 234 00:12:06,210 --> 00:12:12,090 Mary Wittenberg: interview him. He was world- renowned and had this incredible 235 00:12:12,090 --> 00:12:15,660 Mary Wittenberg: team. We've always all had incredible teams, incredible team around 236 00:12:15,660 --> 00:12:22,080 Mary Wittenberg: him. But when that light went out in 1994, I 237 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,390 Mary Wittenberg: think it was a really hard time for the running 238 00:12:24,390 --> 00:12:28,140 Mary Wittenberg: community and New York Road Runners. So, I happened to 239 00:12:28,140 --> 00:12:32,550 Mary Wittenberg: come in with others, including Ted not long after, and 240 00:12:32,550 --> 00:12:34,950 Mary Wittenberg: we had this incredible opportunity in front of us to 241 00:12:36,630 --> 00:12:39,780 Mary Wittenberg: spark that next running boom and really that next generation 242 00:12:39,809 --> 00:12:45,600 Mary Wittenberg: of New York Road Runners. But Fred's shadow, I don't 243 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,620 Mary Wittenberg: even like to say shadow, Fred's light is really paved 244 00:12:49,620 --> 00:12:51,090 Mary Wittenberg: the way all the way back then, and it was 245 00:12:51,090 --> 00:12:53,010 Mary Wittenberg: time to reignite that when I started. 246 00:12:53,609 --> 00:12:56,280 Becs Gentry: Wow. I just need to let that sit for a 247 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,010 Becs Gentry: minute. That was beautiful. And the way you talk about 248 00:12:59,010 --> 00:13:03,510 Becs Gentry: him, it's so true to see how you did bring 249 00:13:03,510 --> 00:13:07,200 Becs Gentry: that light back up, and you put it back out 250 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,130 Becs Gentry: there for the runners in the community, for women as 251 00:13:11,130 --> 00:13:13,800 Becs Gentry: well in the community who may have, in the past, 252 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,089 Becs Gentry: not had the connection that they needed to, to running, 253 00:13:18,090 --> 00:13:20,429 Becs Gentry: to New York Road Runners, you were definitely an additional 254 00:13:20,429 --> 00:13:22,170 Becs Gentry: light to bring to it. 255 00:13:22,650 --> 00:13:24,720 Mary Wittenberg: Well, thank you. I have to chime in here. This is 256 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:33,000 Mary Wittenberg: the funny thing. I guess the end of 1998, not '99, when 257 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,660 Mary Wittenberg: I started, and I wish I had studied the history. 258 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,360 Mary Wittenberg: That's why it took me years. I wish I had read Fred Lebow's book. 259 00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:44,790 Mary Wittenberg: I wish I had asked a lot more questions. I 260 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:47,220 Mary Wittenberg: was always a forward person, and I think in this 261 00:13:47,220 --> 00:13:50,700 Mary Wittenberg: organization, actually, you guys actually should always be forward. And 262 00:13:50,910 --> 00:13:52,950 Mary Wittenberg: you just want to learn from the past, but in 263 00:13:52,950 --> 00:13:54,780 Mary Wittenberg: that case there was a lot more that I could 264 00:13:54,780 --> 00:13:59,099 Mary Wittenberg: have learned. What's striking and humbling, is so over these 265 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:01,050 Mary Wittenberg: years, we thought we came up with so many great 266 00:14:01,050 --> 00:14:06,990 Mary Wittenberg: ideas. Almost every single time, Fred and the crew at 267 00:14:06,990 --> 00:14:10,890 Mary Wittenberg: the time had already been doing it. We didn't realize 268 00:14:10,890 --> 00:14:13,500 Mary Wittenberg: the house we were working in at 89th Street that 269 00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:15,870 Mary Wittenberg: was too small and we couldn't host runners. It was 270 00:14:15,870 --> 00:14:18,780 Mary Wittenberg: the International Running Center before. And we can go out on 271 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,320 Mary Wittenberg: a long list, but we should talk about really what 272 00:14:22,650 --> 00:14:26,520 Mary Wittenberg: Fred and Allan and that team at that time, the 273 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,820 Mary Wittenberg: foundation they laid, we are still building upon. 274 00:14:30,030 --> 00:14:35,160 Rob: Absolutely. So Ted, as race director, one of the questions I'm 275 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,200 Rob: sure you get from time to time, and a lot 276 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,750 Rob: of people probably don't really know the answer is, what does 277 00:14:39,750 --> 00:14:43,200 Rob: a race director actually do? What is the job? Because 278 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:47,820 Rob: it's a role that really, to Mary's point, was kind 279 00:14:47,820 --> 00:14:50,850 Rob: of defined by Fred Lebow in a lot of ways. 280 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:55,890 Rob: Launching this marathon, making it a five borough event, it 281 00:14:55,890 --> 00:14:58,650 Rob: kind of made the role into what it is. And 282 00:14:58,650 --> 00:15:01,740 Rob: it's such an iconic role in the sport of running, 283 00:15:01,740 --> 00:15:04,050 Rob: whether it's in New York or if you go to 284 00:15:04,050 --> 00:15:08,370 Rob: Chicago, it's Carey Pinkowski. You go to Boston, it's Jack Fleming, it's 285 00:15:08,370 --> 00:15:11,670 Rob: a name people know in these running communities. In New 286 00:15:11,670 --> 00:15:14,670 Rob: York, that name is Ted Metellus. What does it mean 287 00:15:14,970 --> 00:15:16,050 Rob: to be a race director? 288 00:15:16,770 --> 00:15:20,730 Ted Metellus: I thought about that question a lot and it's hard 289 00:15:20,730 --> 00:15:23,790 Ted Metellus: to put one finger on it, especially after hearing how 290 00:15:23,940 --> 00:15:28,590 Ted Metellus: Mary so eloquently shared what Fred was and still is. 291 00:15:30,630 --> 00:15:33,690 Ted Metellus: Being a race director is, in many ways, being a leader, 292 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:38,070 Ted Metellus: being an engager, being a facilitator. But I would call 293 00:15:38,070 --> 00:15:41,640 Ted Metellus: it also being a host. And not a host like 294 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:45,060 Ted Metellus: you two 'cause you're the hostess for the mostess, but more along the 295 00:15:45,060 --> 00:15:47,550 Ted Metellus: lines of someone that is going to be welcoming people 296 00:15:47,550 --> 00:15:51,990 Ted Metellus: to an experience and helping them to share in that 297 00:15:51,990 --> 00:15:56,850 Ted Metellus: beauty of that thing, and that thing is running. You 298 00:15:56,940 --> 00:15:59,100 Ted Metellus: have to be a coach, you have to be a 299 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:02,850 Ted Metellus: teacher, you have to engage, you have to connect, you 300 00:16:02,850 --> 00:16:07,200 Ted Metellus: have to inspire, you have to support, you have to 301 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,840 Ted Metellus: lean in sometimes, you have to step back sometimes. So 302 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,479 Ted Metellus: there's a lot of components to what being a race 303 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,560 Ted Metellus: director is. What I love about Fred and his story 304 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:22,110 Ted Metellus: in particular was Fred was not a runner. He wasn't 305 00:16:22,110 --> 00:16:26,730 Ted Metellus: a runner per se. He wasn't the top 10 in 306 00:16:26,730 --> 00:16:31,650 Ted Metellus: high school here or an amazing collegiate athlete there. He 307 00:16:31,650 --> 00:16:37,980 Ted Metellus: worked in the Garment District. He has incredibly humble beginnings 308 00:16:38,490 --> 00:16:42,240 Ted Metellus: coming in from Romania, him and his brother. I think 309 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,190 Ted Metellus: he came to the States at age 12 or something 310 00:16:44,190 --> 00:16:47,190 Ted Metellus: like that, which is so, so amazing. 311 00:16:47,190 --> 00:16:48,241 Rob: The family that survived the Holocaust. 312 00:16:48,241 --> 00:16:54,090 Ted Metellus: Correct, correct, correct. So, he embraced running in this small 313 00:16:54,090 --> 00:16:56,370 Ted Metellus: community up in the Bronx, just so happens to be 314 00:16:56,370 --> 00:17:00,390 Ted Metellus: the greatest borough ever. I'll let that sink in. But 315 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,180 Ted Metellus: Macombs Dam Park and just sew it up and saw 316 00:17:03,180 --> 00:17:05,189 Ted Metellus: all these guys are out there running and said, " I 317 00:17:05,190 --> 00:17:06,794 Ted Metellus: want to be a part of this, and how do 318 00:17:06,795 --> 00:17:08,670 Ted Metellus: I become a part of it?" And not only did he become 319 00:17:08,790 --> 00:17:11,790 Ted Metellus: a part of it in learning and seeing, but he 320 00:17:11,790 --> 00:17:15,180 Ted Metellus: also saw the potential in its greatness and, " How can 321 00:17:15,180 --> 00:17:17,760 Ted Metellus: we connect more people to this? How can we engage 322 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,010 Ted Metellus: more people to this? How can we inspire more people 323 00:17:20,010 --> 00:17:22,020 Ted Metellus: to this?" And that's what many race directors do. 324 00:17:23,070 --> 00:17:26,280 Becs Gentry: That is a perfect description of what you do. That's for sure. 325 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:33,780 Becs Gentry: Both of you being trailblazers, if you want, for you're 326 00:17:33,780 --> 00:17:38,310 Becs Gentry: the first Black race director, first female. What, for either 327 00:17:38,310 --> 00:17:42,300 Becs Gentry: of you, both of you, were there obstacles that stood 328 00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:46,170 Becs Gentry: in your way during your tenure that you can talk about? 329 00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:52,410 Mary Wittenberg: That's a great ending, " That you can talk about." Let 330 00:17:52,410 --> 00:17:55,740 Mary Wittenberg: me be clear. Let me be clear, we were- 331 00:17:55,740 --> 00:17:56,011 Becs Gentry: We know business. 332 00:17:56,011 --> 00:17:59,310 Mary Wittenberg: ... definitely the best people for the jobs, first and 333 00:17:59,310 --> 00:18:05,250 Mary Wittenberg: foremost. No question in my mind, I'll speak from gender. 334 00:18:05,250 --> 00:18:10,050 Mary Wittenberg: First of all, we both were very lucky. Again, this 335 00:18:10,050 --> 00:18:16,350 Mary Wittenberg: was not a standard traditional group of people, this running 336 00:18:16,350 --> 00:18:21,389 Mary Wittenberg: movement. We had Ted Corbitt, in the women's side, we 337 00:18:21,390 --> 00:18:25,169 Mary Wittenberg: had Nina Cusick, Kathrine Switzer. Fred really started the New 338 00:18:25,170 --> 00:18:27,570 Mary Wittenberg: York Mini because a sponsor wanted him to do a 339 00:18:27,570 --> 00:18:31,859 Mary Wittenberg: full marathon, but he embraced it. It was an organization 340 00:18:31,859 --> 00:18:35,760 Mary Wittenberg: that we already had the Pride race. Think about that. 341 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,859 Mary Wittenberg: Pride, the Mini. But I had women leaders and we 342 00:18:40,859 --> 00:18:46,619 Mary Wittenberg: had leaders that were from different religions, different races in 343 00:18:46,619 --> 00:18:53,040 Mary Wittenberg: front of us within the running community. I was lucky 344 00:18:53,040 --> 00:19:00,690 Mary Wittenberg: in that I'd be patted on the head sometimes, but 345 00:19:00,690 --> 00:19:04,020 Mary Wittenberg: I never paid attention to that. I had a very 346 00:19:05,190 --> 00:19:08,220 Mary Wittenberg: strong belief in what we could do from the beginning, 347 00:19:08,220 --> 00:19:09,990 Mary Wittenberg: so I never let it bother me. But I also 348 00:19:09,990 --> 00:19:14,609 Mary Wittenberg: had privilege, I was white. I came from modest means, 349 00:19:14,609 --> 00:19:18,570 Mary Wittenberg: but because of that I was going to pay for 350 00:19:18,570 --> 00:19:20,070 Mary Wittenberg: college, I had to pay for my college, so I 351 00:19:20,070 --> 00:19:21,600 Mary Wittenberg: was going to be a lawyer. I had all these 352 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,960 Mary Wittenberg: loans, but I could be a lawyer. So I had opportunity, 353 00:19:25,410 --> 00:19:29,490 Mary Wittenberg: and I think that background probably got me respect with 354 00:19:29,490 --> 00:19:35,820 Mary Wittenberg: the board and otherwise. So I immediately didn't feel the challenge 355 00:19:35,820 --> 00:19:38,609 Mary Wittenberg: myself, but I constantly felt the challenge for us to 356 00:19:38,609 --> 00:19:41,400 Mary Wittenberg: open more doors for more people. And I think the 357 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,820 Mary Wittenberg: biggest thing we always did, and need to always do, 358 00:19:44,820 --> 00:19:48,600 Mary Wittenberg: is just constantly figure out, " Who is not at this table? 359 00:19:48,630 --> 00:19:51,419 Mary Wittenberg: Who is not speaking? Who is not being given the 360 00:19:51,420 --> 00:19:55,470 Mary Wittenberg: same opportunities?" And that work all remains. So, I see 361 00:19:55,470 --> 00:20:00,060 Mary Wittenberg: it more for the people always trying to help beyond 362 00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:03,481 Mary Wittenberg: myself. But Ted might have had different experiences. 363 00:20:03,481 --> 00:20:06,780 Rob: Ted, I might ask it to you in maybe a slightly different 364 00:20:06,780 --> 00:20:12,000 Rob: way, which is, why does it matter that there's a 365 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,510 Rob: Black race director of the TCS New York City Marathon? 366 00:20:16,890 --> 00:20:19,740 Ted Metellus: Well, I think the short and sweet answer is when 367 00:20:19,740 --> 00:20:24,750 Ted Metellus: you see someone that looks like you and you're on 368 00:20:24,750 --> 00:20:28,050 Ted Metellus: the outside, you're welcomed in. And in the case of 369 00:20:28,050 --> 00:20:30,480 Ted Metellus: Mary, it was being a woman. In the case of 370 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,420 Ted Metellus: myself, it's being a Black man, and then there's more. 371 00:20:33,869 --> 00:20:36,000 Ted Metellus: So it's like not only am I a Black man, 372 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,710 Ted Metellus: but I'm a Black man from the Bronx. Not only 373 00:20:37,710 --> 00:20:39,000 Ted Metellus: am I a Black man from the Bronx, but I'm 374 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,040 Ted Metellus: a Black man from the Bronx who is a child of 375 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,550 Ted Metellus: immigrants. Parents are from Haiti, I'm first generation here. So 376 00:20:44,550 --> 00:20:47,820 Ted Metellus: you hear those things and you're like, " Oh, I'm from the 377 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:50,460 Ted Metellus: Bronx as well. I can step into the room. I'm 378 00:20:50,460 --> 00:20:52,800 Ted Metellus: a child of immigrants as well, I can step into 379 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,900 Ted Metellus: the roo. My parents are from the Caribbean as well, 380 00:20:55,080 --> 00:21:00,090 Ted Metellus: I can step into that room." So I think sharing 381 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:05,100 Ted Metellus: your story a little bit more and being their front 382 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,740 Ted Metellus: and center opens that up. And kind of bringing it 383 00:21:07,740 --> 00:21:13,020 Ted Metellus: back to Fred Lebow, which is fascinating. Fred wasn't some 384 00:21:13,020 --> 00:21:16,830 Ted Metellus: sort of exclusive superfast runner. He was a quote, unquote, " 385 00:21:16,830 --> 00:21:20,190 Ted Metellus: Outsider" and was referenced as such. " Who's this guy with 386 00:21:20,190 --> 00:21:22,920 Ted Metellus: the suits from the Garment District that's over here that 387 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,470 Ted Metellus: wants to push this running scene out and make it 388 00:21:25,470 --> 00:21:29,430 Ted Metellus: a bigger and better thing?" And he being there, child 389 00:21:29,730 --> 00:21:33,210 Ted Metellus: survivor of Holocaust, coming through really true to his faith, 390 00:21:33,420 --> 00:21:36,179 Ted Metellus: also let folks know, say, " I can be there as 391 00:21:36,180 --> 00:21:39,359 Ted Metellus: well." So I think that that's something that I'm always 392 00:21:39,390 --> 00:21:42,869 Ted Metellus: really conscious of. And I can hear my parents saying, " 393 00:21:43,890 --> 00:21:47,340 Ted Metellus: Not only are you representing yourself, you're representing your family, 394 00:21:47,340 --> 00:21:49,350 Ted Metellus: but you're representing all of the others that are out 395 00:21:49,350 --> 00:21:51,930 Ted Metellus: there too in everything that you do. So you always 396 00:21:51,930 --> 00:21:53,310 Ted Metellus: carry yourself in that manner." 397 00:21:54,180 --> 00:21:56,310 Mary Wittenberg: And I'll tell you the difference it made. Both of 398 00:21:56,310 --> 00:22:01,770 Mary Wittenberg: us being in the roles, we've always had a lot 399 00:22:01,770 --> 00:22:04,200 Mary Wittenberg: of women leaders, we've always had a lot of Black 400 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,140 Mary Wittenberg: leaders. I mean there've been different times and different phases, 401 00:22:07,650 --> 00:22:13,800 Mary Wittenberg: but the organization, Fred was a Holocaust survivor and didn't 402 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,939 Mary Wittenberg: use his full name until his deathbed. There was a 403 00:22:17,940 --> 00:22:24,389 Mary Wittenberg: lot there. Allan Steinfeld, Ted Corbitt, they all were outsiders, 404 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,899 Mary Wittenberg: but they were the ones around this table, and I 405 00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:31,050 Mary Wittenberg: think we carried that forward, and it's really important to 406 00:22:31,050 --> 00:22:32,760 Mary Wittenberg: always carry that forward. 407 00:22:34,260 --> 00:22:37,800 Rob: All right, Mary, I'm going to make you be just 408 00:22:38,190 --> 00:22:41,820 Rob: maybe slightly immodest for a moment here about your time 409 00:22:42,090 --> 00:22:47,430 Rob: as the leader of this organization. 2005 to 2015, a lot 410 00:22:47,430 --> 00:22:49,560 Rob: of things happened, a lot of things changed. It was 411 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,920 Rob: huge growth for the marathon and the organization. What are some 412 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,740 Rob: of the things that you can look at now and say, " 413 00:22:56,250 --> 00:22:59,430 Rob: I did that, I feel good"? Not I. I and 414 00:22:59,430 --> 00:23:01,080 Rob: the team I led, I know how you are, you're 415 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,670 Rob: going to want to make sure they get credit, too. 416 00:23:03,060 --> 00:23:06,990 Rob: Did that thing that has made a really big difference 417 00:23:07,140 --> 00:23:10,260 Rob: in bringing the organization and the sport forward? 418 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:15,929 Mary Wittenberg: We, thank you. I'm super proud that for our period 419 00:23:15,930 --> 00:23:21,689 Mary Wittenberg: of time, we got people super excited about running in 420 00:23:21,690 --> 00:23:24,119 Mary Wittenberg: the New York City Marathon and New York Road Runners again. 421 00:23:25,109 --> 00:23:31,050 Mary Wittenberg: We really wanted to see the movement be a sport, 422 00:23:31,050 --> 00:23:35,399 Mary Wittenberg: too. And when people, including in our organization in the 423 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,500 Mary Wittenberg: early days, they didn't believe, they're like, " Why would even 424 00:23:37,500 --> 00:23:40,740 Mary Wittenberg: Americans, they're not any good." Well, 9/ 11 we hosted 425 00:23:40,740 --> 00:23:44,609 Mary Wittenberg: the first USA Championships because our philosophy was, " Well, if 426 00:23:44,609 --> 00:23:46,889 Mary Wittenberg: they're not good enough, let's help them be good enough. 427 00:23:47,250 --> 00:23:50,369 Mary Wittenberg: We have a platform, let's give them the platform and 428 00:23:50,430 --> 00:23:53,129 Mary Wittenberg: all these other ways that we can support." I'm proud 429 00:23:53,130 --> 00:23:56,189 Mary Wittenberg: we did that. I'm proud we really invested and supported 430 00:23:56,190 --> 00:23:58,830 Mary Wittenberg: the youth programs. Everything you guys are doing now and 431 00:23:58,830 --> 00:24:02,280 Mary Wittenberg: what Fred and Allan started. I'm really proud of the 432 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:07,080 Mary Wittenberg: wheelchairs. We were behind. Boston celebrating 50 years of wheelchairs 433 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:11,159 Mary Wittenberg: this year. That same 9/ 11 race, we had the 434 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,439 Mary Wittenberg: USA Championships. It was the first time we did prize money for 435 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:18,930 Mary Wittenberg: wheelchairs. So 2000 was our first wheelchair race. So I'm 436 00:24:18,930 --> 00:24:22,320 Mary Wittenberg: proud, again, that that was a legacy, that was a 437 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,080 Mary Wittenberg: new thing in our generation that our organization was behind 438 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:31,590 Mary Wittenberg: on, and that was important to do. It's a different 439 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:33,990 Mary Wittenberg: time 'cause I think you're (inaudible) back at a 440 00:24:33,990 --> 00:24:37,800 Mary Wittenberg: high. It's also this moment you're doing an amazing job 441 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,640 Mary Wittenberg: getting a lot more people interested in running. And so 442 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:46,109 Mary Wittenberg: at the same time, you've got constraints. Oh, there's constraints 443 00:24:46,109 --> 00:24:49,619 Mary Wittenberg: everywhere. At the time, for us, it was the marathon. And I 444 00:24:49,619 --> 00:24:53,730 Mary Wittenberg: remember we were told that the marathon could never be 445 00:24:53,730 --> 00:25:00,570 Mary Wittenberg: more than 31,000 people. Well, we couldn't accept that, because 446 00:25:00,630 --> 00:25:04,590 Mary Wittenberg: in the end, I guess on our notes that we 447 00:25:04,590 --> 00:25:06,540 Mary Wittenberg: came up with the wave start. The wave start was a 448 00:25:06,540 --> 00:25:09,060 Mary Wittenberg: tactic. What we had to do is we wanted all 449 00:25:09,060 --> 00:25:11,310 Mary Wittenberg: these people to see the marathon was for them. The 450 00:25:11,310 --> 00:25:14,609 Mary Wittenberg: Harlem Miles were not The Harlem Miles. We worked so 451 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:17,970 Mary Wittenberg: carefully with Harlem 'cause Harlem had to feel this was 452 00:25:17,970 --> 00:25:20,220 Mary Wittenberg: their race. The Bronx had to feel this was their 453 00:25:20,220 --> 00:25:23,760 Mary Wittenberg: race. They didn't, so they weren't there. So we had 454 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,419 Mary Wittenberg: to do a lot of this building and bringing people, 455 00:25:27,420 --> 00:25:30,390 Mary Wittenberg: but in the end, how we grew the marathon, and this 456 00:25:30,390 --> 00:25:32,609 Mary Wittenberg: was the brilliance of Peter and then Jim and the 457 00:25:32,609 --> 00:25:36,510 Mary Wittenberg: team that could do all these logistics, but the wave 458 00:25:36,510 --> 00:25:40,080 Mary Wittenberg: started because we wanted more people. People used to wait 459 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,720 Mary Wittenberg: in line forever. You get to mile eight and you 460 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:47,190 Mary Wittenberg: couldn't move at the merge of the three lanes, and 461 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,859 Mary Wittenberg: we had to start the ferries because it used to 462 00:25:49,859 --> 00:25:52,020 Mary Wittenberg: be all the buses had to get across before anyone 463 00:25:52,020 --> 00:25:54,419 Mary Wittenberg: could start. So you were there forever. All that was 464 00:25:54,420 --> 00:25:57,419 Mary Wittenberg: important. They were logistics, but they were important because we 465 00:25:57,420 --> 00:26:00,630 Mary Wittenberg: could had more people. We couldn't have charity, we only 466 00:26:00,630 --> 00:26:03,270 Mary Wittenberg: had French team. That's when we started Team for Kids. 467 00:26:03,630 --> 00:26:06,780 Mary Wittenberg: And the theory was we didn't want to take entries 468 00:26:06,780 --> 00:26:10,980 Mary Wittenberg: from the then lottery. We wanted to have charity, but 469 00:26:10,980 --> 00:26:13,440 Mary Wittenberg: we didn't want to make that a smaller lottery, so 470 00:26:13,830 --> 00:26:16,560 Mary Wittenberg: we needed more spots. So everything came back to we 471 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,540 Mary Wittenberg: wanted to make sure every New York could run. That's 472 00:26:18,540 --> 00:26:22,800 Mary Wittenberg: how, at the time, six races, then six plus one, now 473 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,949 Mary Wittenberg: nine plus one became a thing. But those are the 474 00:26:25,950 --> 00:26:29,100 Mary Wittenberg: reasons we grew the marathon, so I think we just 475 00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:31,680 Mary Wittenberg: always tried to get more people. It's funny that the name 476 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,560 Mary Wittenberg: is race director, 'cause actually, almost don't want to talk 477 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,580 Mary Wittenberg: about it as a race because you want to welcome people to 478 00:26:38,850 --> 00:26:41,910 Mary Wittenberg: an event. So, we just tried to get more people 479 00:26:41,910 --> 00:26:45,060 Mary Wittenberg: to come run and then we constantly, as you are 480 00:26:45,060 --> 00:26:48,060 Mary Wittenberg: doing, try to find more and more ways to have 481 00:26:48,060 --> 00:26:51,510 Mary Wittenberg: grassroots, and then also have these signature moments all year 482 00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:55,800 Mary Wittenberg: round that are such a big part of people's lives. 483 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,890 Mary Wittenberg: And that's so often what gets people off the couch. 484 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,469 Mary Wittenberg: Even though they know it's good for them, it's the 485 00:27:01,470 --> 00:27:03,780 Mary Wittenberg: marathon, it's a Brooklyn Half, it's the New York City Half. 486 00:27:04,950 --> 00:27:05,399 Mary Wittenberg: That's some of them. 487 00:27:07,830 --> 00:27:09,419 Becs Gentry: That was a lot. That was a lot of- 488 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,789 Ted Metellus: Yes. I hope you're taking notes, so when you're listening 489 00:27:14,790 --> 00:27:14,850 Ted Metellus: to this- 490 00:27:14,850 --> 00:27:18,540 Mary Wittenberg: Again, it's just I'm most proud that we took the baton from 491 00:27:18,540 --> 00:27:24,570 Mary Wittenberg: one generation and gave it to next, and that I think a lot 492 00:27:24,570 --> 00:27:26,490 Mary Wittenberg: of our team remains here to cheer you guys on 493 00:27:26,490 --> 00:27:27,570 Mary Wittenberg: and do anything we can to support. 494 00:27:28,109 --> 00:27:30,629 Becs Gentry: I feel like there should be a BM before Mary of 495 00:27:31,290 --> 00:27:32,040 Becs Gentry: New York Road Runners. 496 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:36,629 Mary Wittenberg: It was great. Again, to this point, think about this, Fred 497 00:27:36,630 --> 00:27:43,980 Mary Wittenberg: Lebow and Steinfeld, 1976, that racecourse is largely our racecourse 498 00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:51,210 Mary Wittenberg: today for 56,000 people. The Five Borough Series. Guess what? There 499 00:27:51,210 --> 00:27:54,930 Mary Wittenberg: were only 1, 000 people, 800 people when I started. And 500 00:27:54,930 --> 00:27:58,290 Mary Wittenberg: yes, we were in Coney Island February and oh, but 501 00:27:58,290 --> 00:27:58,531 Mary Wittenberg: guess what? 502 00:27:58,531 --> 00:27:58,830 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Oh my God, I remember that. 503 00:27:59,130 --> 00:28:03,030 Mary Wittenberg: The bones of the Five Borough Half Marathon was already 504 00:28:03,030 --> 00:28:08,280 Mary Wittenberg: here. So, you do the job your time needs you 505 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,080 Mary Wittenberg: to do, and we did the best we could. 506 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:10,679 Ted Metellus: You build on it. 507 00:28:10,950 --> 00:28:15,060 Rob: So Ted, the baton is now in your and my 508 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:19,980 Rob: hands as we kind of move this race and this organization 509 00:28:19,980 --> 00:28:23,550 Rob: and all the events we have into the future. What 510 00:28:23,550 --> 00:28:27,240 Rob: are the things, in your tenure so far, and in the 511 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,810 Rob: extent we can talk about the future looking forward, that you think 512 00:28:30,810 --> 00:28:35,490 Rob: are the real opportunities to take what Mary and Allan 513 00:28:35,490 --> 00:28:39,690 Rob: and Fred and Peter, and so many others did, and 514 00:28:39,690 --> 00:28:41,460 Rob: bring it to another generation? 515 00:28:41,850 --> 00:28:48,870 Ted Metellus: Yeah, when you're calling out all the names of race directors, I have to give a shout- out to Jim Heim, who brought 516 00:28:48,870 --> 00:28:51,600 Ted Metellus: me back to New York Road Runners back in '18. 517 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:52,860 Ted Metellus: He was like, " We got a home for you, come 518 00:28:52,860 --> 00:28:55,380 Ted Metellus: back, come back, stop being on the road traveling like 519 00:28:55,380 --> 00:28:58,980 Ted Metellus: a crazy person." And I'm happy to be back. So, 520 00:28:59,610 --> 00:29:04,680 Ted Metellus: I came back to the organization in '18, 2018, and 521 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,290 Ted Metellus: my firs stint with the organization was back in '01. 522 00:29:08,070 --> 00:29:11,640 Ted Metellus: And you want to talk about, you guys have heard the podcast before, 523 00:29:11,910 --> 00:29:16,710 Ted Metellus: where coming back to running post- 9/ 11, what that 524 00:29:16,710 --> 00:29:20,130 Ted Metellus: impact was and how the world came back to run. 525 00:29:20,130 --> 00:29:22,800 Ted Metellus: And we were just recently with our colleagues from the 526 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:28,590 Ted Metellus: Berlin Marathon, and there's this incredible picture of this huge 527 00:29:28,590 --> 00:29:34,200 Ted Metellus: sign that they provided to us to really say where 528 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,630 Ted Metellus: the world is coming back to run. And really saying 529 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,630 Ted Metellus: running is back, New York is back, come back here. And that was 530 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:45,870 Ted Metellus: '01. 2021, post- COVID, we had to bring the marathon 531 00:29:45,870 --> 00:29:49,320 Ted Metellus: back again. And navigating through that is probably still the 532 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,310 Ted Metellus: most challenging/ rewarding experience in my professional life. I've been 533 00:29:53,310 --> 00:29:57,150 Ted Metellus: doing this for 26 years and that always stands up. 534 00:29:58,710 --> 00:30:00,885 Ted Metellus: For those of us who run, you always think about 535 00:30:00,885 --> 00:30:03,150 Ted Metellus: the hardest race you ever ran, and that's the barometer 536 00:30:03,150 --> 00:30:05,670 Ted Metellus: of challenge. And then you run something else and you're like, " 537 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,580 Ted Metellus: Oh no, no, no, that's definitely not as hard as name 538 00:30:08,580 --> 00:30:11,610 Ted Metellus: that race. It's definitely not as hard as name that 539 00:30:11,610 --> 00:30:14,040 Ted Metellus: part of the course." Well, it's definitely not as hard 540 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:18,750 Ted Metellus: as navigating through 2020, 2021 and bring the marathon back. So, that was 541 00:30:18,750 --> 00:30:20,940 Ted Metellus: something to get us back to the table. But where 542 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:24,240 Ted Metellus: we are going now, and it's funny, Rob, 'cause you had 543 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,610 Ted Metellus: mentioned this to me a little over a year and 544 00:30:26,610 --> 00:30:31,110 Ted Metellus: change ago, and I'm reading this book called Unreasonable Hospitality, 545 00:30:31,410 --> 00:30:36,180 Ted Metellus: and the author said something... By read, I mean I'm 546 00:30:36,180 --> 00:30:38,190 Ted Metellus: listening to it on audio while I'm going on runs, 547 00:30:39,150 --> 00:30:41,910 Ted Metellus: when I'm not listening to Set the Pace podcast. 548 00:30:41,910 --> 00:30:42,510 Rob: There you go. 549 00:30:43,170 --> 00:30:47,700 Ted Metellus: So, I'll make this quick, and it literally stopped me. 550 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:49,740 Ted Metellus: There was a couple of things that the author said 551 00:30:49,740 --> 00:30:52,620 Ted Metellus: that really hit home, his humble beginnings, how hard his 552 00:30:52,620 --> 00:30:57,000 Ted Metellus: parents worked, watching them grind, and that then taught you 553 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:00,150 Ted Metellus: how to grind. So that definitely sat in me. But there 554 00:31:00,210 --> 00:31:02,640 Ted Metellus: was something he said about restauranting that lined up really 555 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:05,100 Ted Metellus: well to what we do in the event production space. And 556 00:31:05,100 --> 00:31:08,160 Ted Metellus: he said, restauranting is black and white. You have your 557 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,709 Ted Metellus: tables, you have your food, you have your wait staff, 558 00:31:10,710 --> 00:31:13,920 Ted Metellus: you have all of those components that every single restaurant has, 559 00:31:14,340 --> 00:31:18,060 Ted Metellus: but the experience is color. Race production is black and 560 00:31:18,060 --> 00:31:23,730 Ted Metellus: white. It's 3. 1 miles for a 5K. It's 13. 1 561 00:31:23,730 --> 00:31:27,000 Ted Metellus: miles for a half- marathon. It's 26. 2 miles for 562 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,750 Ted Metellus: a marathon. Every mile split, every station is set, every 563 00:31:30,780 --> 00:31:33,240 Ted Metellus: medical component's there, working with the city, all of that 564 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,740 Ted Metellus: stuff is locked in. There is no maybe," Ah, it's 565 00:31:37,740 --> 00:31:38,221 Ted Metellus: kind of 26.2." 566 00:31:38,221 --> 00:31:43,920 Rob: Sometimes with my Strava, it seems like it is maybe, I don't know. 567 00:31:44,010 --> 00:31:44,671 Ted Metellus: But we don't need to talk about your Strava- 568 00:31:44,671 --> 00:31:44,672 Rob: It never quite seems to be the right number. 569 00:31:44,672 --> 00:31:51,390 Ted Metellus: As you're navigating through buildings to a satellite in space 570 00:31:51,390 --> 00:31:56,580 Ted Metellus: that's bouncing back, pump the brakes. But it's all exact. 571 00:31:56,580 --> 00:31:58,560 Ted Metellus: And that will be true to any and every race 572 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,350 Ted Metellus: that you run, big or small, all of those components. 573 00:32:01,410 --> 00:32:04,260 Ted Metellus: But the experience is color. The little things that add 574 00:32:04,260 --> 00:32:07,140 Ted Metellus: that little bit of sauce that makes New York so 575 00:32:07,140 --> 00:32:14,370 Ted Metellus: special. Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York, the fire 576 00:32:14,370 --> 00:32:16,440 Ted Metellus: boat in the water spraying the water, the folks that are 577 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,420 Ted Metellus: on the course playing the music that's out there, the 578 00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:22,140 Ted Metellus: crowds that are cheering you on, the final finisher experience. 579 00:32:22,140 --> 00:32:25,620 Ted Metellus: All of those things are the color to these events and 580 00:32:25,710 --> 00:32:29,280 Ted Metellus: these experiences. So, the future of this event is very, 581 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:30,690 Ted Metellus: very, very colorful and beautiful. 582 00:32:31,590 --> 00:32:33,930 Becs Gentry: Let's talk more about the future, though. Let's talk more about the color. So in 583 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:41,310 Becs Gentry: 2026, Mary, the World Marathon Majors came about, it grew, 584 00:32:41,310 --> 00:32:44,790 Becs Gentry: it's grown and grown and grown. So, rewind quickly to 585 00:32:44,790 --> 00:32:49,470 Becs Gentry: 2006 and what happened there for TCS New York City Marathon. 586 00:32:49,620 --> 00:32:51,450 Mary Wittenberg: So, what's so fun for Rob and Ted and the 587 00:32:51,450 --> 00:32:55,740 Mary Wittenberg: team now is you just got to start stuff, right? So 588 00:32:55,740 --> 00:33:00,180 Mary Wittenberg: in 2006 we wanted to create the concept of The 589 00:33:00,180 --> 00:33:03,210 Mary Wittenberg: Big 5. In New York, there's this dance between local 590 00:33:03,210 --> 00:33:05,940 Mary Wittenberg: and global, and what really matters is five boroughs of 591 00:33:05,940 --> 00:33:08,220 Mary Wittenberg: New York City, in supporting the five boroughs of New 592 00:33:08,220 --> 00:33:10,740 Mary Wittenberg: York City and lifting the city and the runners here. 593 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:15,150 Mary Wittenberg: And we have outsized influence around the world. And this 594 00:33:15,150 --> 00:33:17,700 Mary Wittenberg: is a global movement and we want every single one of 595 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:19,680 Mary Wittenberg: you to feel at home, wherever you go in the world, 596 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,709 Mary Wittenberg: wherever your friends and family are in the world. And it 597 00:33:22,710 --> 00:33:27,000 Mary Wittenberg: is a massive sport. I always say when everyone knows 598 00:33:27,420 --> 00:33:30,600 Mary Wittenberg: global football/ soccer is the biggest sport in the world 599 00:33:30,990 --> 00:33:33,810 Mary Wittenberg: and everyone's wearing their jerseys. Well, all of us know, 600 00:33:33,810 --> 00:33:35,970 Mary Wittenberg: actually, if you look at all those running shirts out 601 00:33:35,970 --> 00:33:39,240 Mary Wittenberg: there from all different organizations, super proud that so many 602 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:44,010 Mary Wittenberg: are NYR, but this is a huge movement and it's really 603 00:33:44,010 --> 00:33:47,040 Mary Wittenberg: important to be recognized as such, because we want less 604 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,060 Mary Wittenberg: expensive races, we want all these things. We need partners. 605 00:33:51,060 --> 00:33:53,550 Mary Wittenberg: Partners need to know this is a global sport. We 606 00:33:53,550 --> 00:33:57,750 Mary Wittenberg: want fans, we want people to support professional sport. We 607 00:33:57,750 --> 00:34:01,950 Mary Wittenberg: want people to become runners themselves. So all of that will 608 00:34:02,130 --> 00:34:07,830 Mary Wittenberg: benefit from a global landscape of really significant races around 609 00:34:07,830 --> 00:34:09,870 Mary Wittenberg: the world. So we wanted to come together to create 610 00:34:09,870 --> 00:34:12,810 Mary Wittenberg: The Big 5 at the time, and it was focused 611 00:34:12,810 --> 00:34:16,350 Mary Wittenberg: around creating this pro series. But the whole idea was 612 00:34:16,410 --> 00:34:19,529 Mary Wittenberg: we'll be better at building a global event by supporting 613 00:34:19,530 --> 00:34:23,940 Mary Wittenberg: each other, instead of it actually used to be Bob 614 00:34:23,940 --> 00:34:25,469 Mary Wittenberg: Bright from Chicago and- 615 00:34:26,790 --> 00:34:27,001 Ted Metellus: Fred Lebow. 616 00:34:27,001 --> 00:34:29,160 Mary Wittenberg: Fred Lebow used to kind of, theirs was more of a 617 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:32,310 Mary Wittenberg: joking for attention, but there was real tension among these 618 00:34:32,310 --> 00:34:35,610 Mary Wittenberg: race directors back in the day. Talk about being female. 619 00:34:35,820 --> 00:34:39,120 Mary Wittenberg: I think of coming back to the finish line and spending 620 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:42,330 Mary Wittenberg: all the time welcoming runners, and although Fred did that, 621 00:34:42,330 --> 00:34:45,239 Mary Wittenberg: that was Fred, and I think about getting along with 622 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,270 Mary Wittenberg: the race directors. Those are two things, that for me, 623 00:34:48,330 --> 00:34:50,820 Mary Wittenberg: were unique at the time. And I think it's because 624 00:34:50,820 --> 00:34:53,730 Mary Wittenberg: in part I was woman, but we wanted to create 625 00:34:53,730 --> 00:34:56,339 Mary Wittenberg: a bigger sport and that's how this whole idea came 626 00:34:56,340 --> 00:34:58,439 Mary Wittenberg: together. And it was a big deal for our board 627 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:03,570 Mary Wittenberg: of directors. Berlin was not what Berlin is today. Tokyo, 628 00:35:03,570 --> 00:35:06,360 Mary Wittenberg: we went and helped start Tokyo. It didn't even exist. 629 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:12,450 Mary Wittenberg: And everybody really understood, we do have a role. It's okay, 630 00:35:12,540 --> 00:35:15,870 Mary Wittenberg: let's let Berlin become amazing. We want Berlin to become 631 00:35:15,870 --> 00:35:20,340 Mary Wittenberg: amazing. All of the other events, right? New York was, 632 00:35:20,340 --> 00:35:23,370 Mary Wittenberg: again, London and New York were kind of, and Chicago, 633 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,100 Mary Wittenberg: were like the big events at the time. Even Boston 634 00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:29,130 Mary Wittenberg: was always the granddaddy, but it wasn't the level it 635 00:35:29,130 --> 00:35:32,759 Mary Wittenberg: is today, again, of love for it. It was love, 636 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:37,739 Mary Wittenberg: but it's now huge and everyone understood. I was super 637 00:35:37,739 --> 00:35:39,810 Mary Wittenberg: proud of our board and others that said, " Yeah, we 638 00:35:39,810 --> 00:35:44,910 Mary Wittenberg: can invest in this, because it makes sense for all 639 00:35:44,910 --> 00:35:48,390 Mary Wittenberg: this to be bigger and it'll help our mission. We'll 640 00:35:48,390 --> 00:35:49,560 Mary Wittenberg: be bigger too as a result. 641 00:35:50,100 --> 00:35:55,140 Becs Gentry: And now here we are with Sydney, number seven. So 642 00:35:55,140 --> 00:35:58,200 Becs Gentry: Fred, can you give us any insights as to what 643 00:35:58,230 --> 00:36:02,160 Becs Gentry: runners, spectators, anyone who's got a general interest in running, 644 00:36:03,150 --> 00:36:07,170 Becs Gentry: can have this year, the growth of the five to 645 00:36:07,170 --> 00:36:08,460 Becs Gentry: the six to the seven? 646 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:15,839 Ted Metellus: Best compliment ever, being called Fred. Thank you. Usually, people call me Ted because they're thinking Ted 647 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:19,560 Ted Metellus: Corbitt, but I'll take that. It's better what other people 648 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:19,950 Ted Metellus: call me. 649 00:36:19,950 --> 00:36:21,060 Becs Gentry: I'm just going to change you on my phone to Fred, to 650 00:36:21,060 --> 00:36:22,200 Becs Gentry: Ted, to Fred, to Ted. 651 00:36:22,319 --> 00:36:26,400 Ted Metellus: Fred to Ted. Fred, Ted. Yeah. Sydney coming on board is 652 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:29,070 Ted Metellus: in line with what Mary just stated, which is the 653 00:36:29,070 --> 00:36:31,260 Ted Metellus: global impact and growth of the sport. I think there 654 00:36:31,260 --> 00:36:34,170 Ted Metellus: were two other components that line up to what we're 655 00:36:34,170 --> 00:36:37,080 Ted Metellus: seeing right now with the Abbott World Marathon Majors. One 656 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:41,460 Ted Metellus: was, well, the three big things were obviously creating a 657 00:36:41,460 --> 00:36:44,190 Ted Metellus: tremendous experience for the elite athletes to be able to 658 00:36:44,190 --> 00:36:46,620 Ted Metellus: get out there and run in a competitive level. And 659 00:36:46,739 --> 00:36:49,379 Ted Metellus: instead of us all fighting for one another, it's kind 660 00:36:49,380 --> 00:36:52,350 Ted Metellus: of leveling the playing field. And also, iron sharpens iron. 661 00:36:52,350 --> 00:36:57,480 Ted Metellus: So it's like, " Wow, this group has a strong pro 662 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:00,899 Ted Metellus: wheelchair. Let's build that component up. Let's build up these 663 00:37:00,900 --> 00:37:03,540 Ted Metellus: various components to our races because we want to be 664 00:37:03,540 --> 00:37:08,250 Ted Metellus: parallel to the other races and other events." The other 665 00:37:08,250 --> 00:37:11,100 Ted Metellus: part, too, that's really keen is the growth of marathoning. 666 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:14,070 Ted Metellus: We wanted to grow the sport of marathoning. It isn't what 667 00:37:14,070 --> 00:37:16,739 Ted Metellus: it is today, folks. The numbers were kind of flat, 668 00:37:16,830 --> 00:37:20,760 Ted Metellus: numbers weren't really strong, but with The Big 5, then 669 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,340 Ted Metellus: the six, now onto the Abbott World Marathon Majors, we 670 00:37:23,340 --> 00:37:27,750 Ted Metellus: have seen a tremendous growth and interest towards marathon running. 671 00:37:27,750 --> 00:37:33,630 Ted Metellus: And it being all runners, middle of pack, backpack, all are 672 00:37:33,690 --> 00:37:36,300 Ted Metellus: coming out and experiencing this. And then one of the last pieces, 673 00:37:36,300 --> 00:37:39,120 Ted Metellus: which is really critical to it, is ensuring that we 674 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,850 Ted Metellus: have a clean sport. And everybody coming into the table 675 00:37:41,850 --> 00:37:45,420 Ted Metellus: together and working collaboratively to really, really press upon, it's 676 00:37:45,420 --> 00:37:48,239 Ted Metellus: not just one race that's stressing clean sport, all the 677 00:37:48,270 --> 00:37:51,989 Ted Metellus: races are doing that. The growth of the series is 678 00:37:51,989 --> 00:37:54,840 Ted Metellus: amazing. We have two candidate races that are on deck 679 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,390 Ted Metellus: right now that are part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. 680 00:37:58,350 --> 00:38:03,719 Ted Metellus: It's 127 point checklist that an event has to pass 681 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:05,700 Ted Metellus: two consecutive years to become a major. 682 00:38:06,330 --> 00:38:09,630 Rob: Yeah, people don't know that. It's quite a strenuous process 683 00:38:09,750 --> 00:38:10,530 Rob: for getting in. 684 00:38:10,530 --> 00:38:13,410 Ted Metellus: Correct. And it's not exclusively just the race, but it's the 685 00:38:13,410 --> 00:38:17,010 Ted Metellus: market itself. So, not only are you looking at making 686 00:38:17,010 --> 00:38:19,500 Ted Metellus: sure that the, remember of the black and white, the 687 00:38:19,500 --> 00:38:22,350 Ted Metellus: race logistics are really dialed in, but the color of 688 00:38:22,350 --> 00:38:24,090 Ted Metellus: the event and the essence of the event are key 689 00:38:24,090 --> 00:38:25,950 Ted Metellus: there, too. But you also want to make sure that 690 00:38:25,950 --> 00:38:28,410 Ted Metellus: the market that you're in is an open and welcoming 691 00:38:28,410 --> 00:38:31,260 Ted Metellus: market. Do they have an international airport? Do they have 692 00:38:31,260 --> 00:38:34,169 Ted Metellus: ample hotels? Is there means for folks to get to and from 693 00:38:34,170 --> 00:38:37,649 Ted Metellus: the race safely and smoothly, whether it is via public 694 00:38:37,650 --> 00:38:41,040 Ted Metellus: transportation or parking rides and those types of things? All 695 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:43,319 Ted Metellus: of those elements are tied into that, too. You can't 696 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:45,810 Ted Metellus: be the World Marathon Majors and just have three North 697 00:38:45,810 --> 00:38:48,900 Ted Metellus: American races, one in Japan and two in Europe. 698 00:38:49,469 --> 00:38:53,430 Mary Wittenberg: Exactly. And what I'm so excited about for you and 699 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,310 Mary Wittenberg: this generation and your leadership, and I listen to the 700 00:38:56,310 --> 00:38:58,230 Mary Wittenberg: podcast, Rob, and- 701 00:38:58,230 --> 00:38:58,501 Rob: Thank you, Mary, we appreciate that. 702 00:38:58,501 --> 00:39:04,680 Mary Wittenberg: ... Becs, is runners love a challenge? So we know that's the 703 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:09,450 Mary Wittenberg: essence of the marathon, and that that is today the 704 00:39:09,450 --> 00:39:11,969 Mary Wittenberg: essence of the majors. That is the essence of the 705 00:39:11,969 --> 00:39:15,120 Mary Wittenberg: five borough challenge here. That is, have you heard of the 706 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:20,040 Mary Wittenberg: SuperHalfs? The SuperHalfs are a European concept where people are all now 707 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:23,760 Mary Wittenberg: doing Lisbon and Copenhagen and all these events. And Rob, 708 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:26,820 Mary Wittenberg: I kept thinking about you on the run yesterday because it was very 709 00:39:26,820 --> 00:39:30,000 Mary Wittenberg: cool that the Ted Corbitt 50K was going the other 710 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,330 Mary Wittenberg: way yesterday while we were in the Fred Lebow Half 711 00:39:33,390 --> 00:39:38,820 Mary Wittenberg: and people are cheering for each other. I heard you're 712 00:39:38,820 --> 00:39:41,250 Mary Wittenberg: going to promote all these other events. There's so many 713 00:39:41,489 --> 00:39:45,690 Mary Wittenberg: series and things of different sorts, because not everything about 714 00:39:45,690 --> 00:39:48,239 Mary Wittenberg: the majors is super accessible, right? It fits as a 715 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:50,940 Mary Wittenberg: big life goal. It does not fit as something people 716 00:39:50,940 --> 00:39:54,810 Mary Wittenberg: do every year. But there's all these other connections now 717 00:39:54,810 --> 00:39:57,750 Mary Wittenberg: with all these other events in the city around the 718 00:39:57,750 --> 00:40:02,040 Mary Wittenberg: world that we can create for runners. We see what 719 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:07,260 Mary Wittenberg: happens with these big weekends in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and 720 00:40:07,710 --> 00:40:10,290 Mary Wittenberg: Disney, where they don't have the big marathon so you 721 00:40:10,290 --> 00:40:12,630 Mary Wittenberg: run the mile and the half, the 5K, the 10K, 722 00:40:12,660 --> 00:40:16,950 Mary Wittenberg: all in one weekend. So, we know runners love challenge, 723 00:40:17,489 --> 00:40:22,200 Mary Wittenberg: and I'm super excited that you guys are looking at 724 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:25,290 Mary Wittenberg: all the races and how you can create more series 725 00:40:25,290 --> 00:40:28,800 Mary Wittenberg: challenge, opportunities for runners, and that's the essence of what 726 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:29,670 Mary Wittenberg: the majors became. 727 00:40:30,450 --> 00:40:33,690 Rob: Thank you. We're excited, too. We really are. All right, so before 728 00:40:33,690 --> 00:40:35,700 Rob: we let you guys go, and this has been amazing. 729 00:40:36,180 --> 00:40:38,190 Rob: I like to ask a running question for both of 730 00:40:38,190 --> 00:40:43,002 Rob: you. And Becs, do you know how fast Mary is (inaudible) ? 731 00:40:42,930 --> 00:40:46,560 Becs Gentry: I do. I've had the absolute honor of running with her a few 732 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,319 Becs Gentry: times, and she's a hard one to keep up with. 733 00:40:49,380 --> 00:40:54,810 Rob: Mary Wittenberg broke the tape at the Marine Corps Marathon 734 00:40:54,810 --> 00:40:59,280 Rob: in Washington DC. And so I think I know the answer, but 735 00:40:59,910 --> 00:41:01,650 Rob: the question I was going to ask both of you is your 736 00:41:01,650 --> 00:41:05,520 Rob: most memorable race. Mary, that's got to be the answer 737 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:07,770 Rob: for you 'cause I want to hear the story of 738 00:41:07,770 --> 00:41:12,210 Rob: that race and how that came together, and what it 739 00:41:12,210 --> 00:41:15,900 Rob: meant for you to break the tape at a pretty significant race. 740 00:41:16,830 --> 00:41:18,810 Ted Metellus: I was thinking about this earlier when I was coming 741 00:41:18,810 --> 00:41:22,109 Ted Metellus: down here. So for the folks in the back, we're 742 00:41:22,110 --> 00:41:25,589 Ted Metellus: talking about the Marine Corps Marathon, one of the most 743 00:41:25,590 --> 00:41:31,050 Ted Metellus: prestigious North American marathons in the world, well- known, well- 744 00:41:31,050 --> 00:41:34,290 Ted Metellus: respected, well- engaged, great partners that know very well that 745 00:41:34,290 --> 00:41:37,739 Ted Metellus: have been part of that event, and Mary Wittenberg here 746 00:41:37,770 --> 00:41:41,130 Ted Metellus: won it. So, I received a book one day from 747 00:41:41,130 --> 00:41:43,440 Ted Metellus: a partner of ours in the industry, and I'm looking 748 00:41:43,469 --> 00:41:46,500 Ted Metellus: at it and I see this photo and I'm smiling. 749 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,360 Ted Metellus: And I walk over to the team on the floor 750 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:49,589 Ted Metellus: and I go, " Do you know who that is? Do 751 00:41:49,589 --> 00:41:53,370 Ted Metellus: you know how that is?" And it is like, " Mary Robertson? Mary Robinson." 752 00:41:53,370 --> 00:41:56,070 Ted Metellus: I'm walking around, " Do you know who that is? Do you know who that is?" I'm like, "No." And I was like, " That's Mary 753 00:41:56,070 --> 00:41:58,980 Ted Metellus: Wittenberg." Like, " What?" " Yes, she won the Marine Corps Marathon." " 754 00:41:58,980 --> 00:42:01,680 Ted Metellus: What?" So that's the cue up for you, Mary there, 755 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:03,540 Ted Metellus: to tell your incredible story. 756 00:42:03,870 --> 00:42:05,759 Mary Wittenberg: Thank you both. There's hope for everybody is the moral 757 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:05,881 Mary Wittenberg: of the story. 758 00:42:05,881 --> 00:42:10,830 Rob: " You too can win a major marathon. That's right. 759 00:42:10,830 --> 00:42:13,110 Rob: Just follow these five steps." Okay, here we go. 760 00:42:13,380 --> 00:42:13,381 Mary Wittenberg: Exactly. 761 00:42:13,381 --> 00:42:14,520 Becs Gentry: " Come out next week." 762 00:42:14,850 --> 00:42:17,070 Mary Wittenberg: I was third string on the basketball team, and I 763 00:42:17,070 --> 00:42:19,469 Mary Wittenberg: was a sub to the standing log jump and the 764 00:42:19,469 --> 00:42:24,239 Mary Wittenberg: relay in eighth grade. I became a rower, and in 765 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:27,750 Mary Wittenberg: rowing I was always on the smaller side. And so, what I actually found 766 00:42:27,750 --> 00:42:30,930 Mary Wittenberg: is that in rowing, the two- mile run was something that 767 00:42:30,930 --> 00:42:32,879 Mary Wittenberg: I really liked and it was easier for me than 768 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:36,239 Mary Wittenberg: the lifting weights and the seat racing. So I had 769 00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:38,580 Mary Wittenberg: this positive experience with running, and on a day where 770 00:42:38,580 --> 00:42:42,870 Mary Wittenberg: I got lucky and my senior in college ended up 771 00:42:43,860 --> 00:42:46,799 Mary Wittenberg: going to a little race... The moral of a story too 772 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:50,880 Mary Wittenberg: is I know how to pick the races. A very 773 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,400 Mary Wittenberg: small race, so nobody else was there so I won. 774 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:55,589 Mary Wittenberg: And then they convinced me to run a season of cross 775 00:42:55,590 --> 00:42:57,300 Mary Wittenberg: country and then I got to run in law school. 776 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:01,650 Mary Wittenberg: But the Marine Corps Marathon, I was running because it was 777 00:43:01,650 --> 00:43:03,509 Mary Wittenberg: up the road. I was living as a lawyer in 778 00:43:03,510 --> 00:43:07,620 Mary Wittenberg: Richmond, Virginia, and in law school I'd been lucky enough, 779 00:43:07,980 --> 00:43:12,000 Mary Wittenberg: with no intention of being a runner, I ended up 780 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:14,130 Mary Wittenberg: running with the men's team at Notre Dame 'cause there 781 00:43:14,130 --> 00:43:16,739 Mary Wittenberg: wasn't a woman's team. And I was going to be 782 00:43:16,739 --> 00:43:20,609 Mary Wittenberg: a lawyer. Again, I was very financially aware and how 783 00:43:20,610 --> 00:43:23,100 Mary Wittenberg: I had to pay up these loans, and so running 784 00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:24,540 Mary Wittenberg: was not the thing I was ever going to do. 785 00:43:24,540 --> 00:43:27,030 Mary Wittenberg: I was going to go be a lawyer. I ended 786 00:43:27,030 --> 00:43:29,250 Mary Wittenberg: up running a time in Chicago that it was the 787 00:43:29,250 --> 00:43:33,509 Mary Wittenberg: day Joany broke the American record, and Rosa Mota. And 788 00:43:33,510 --> 00:43:35,400 Mary Wittenberg: I knew nothing about sport, but kind of a cool 789 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:39,000 Mary Wittenberg: introduction. And I was 24 years old and I ran 790 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,489 Mary Wittenberg: a time that would've qualified for Olympic trials. So then 791 00:43:41,730 --> 00:43:43,440 Mary Wittenberg: even though I was going to be a lawyer, I 792 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:47,969 Mary Wittenberg: wanted to qualify for Olympic trials. Again, so I was 793 00:43:48,750 --> 00:43:50,969 Mary Wittenberg: a lawyer in Richmond, Virginia, and Marine Corps is down 794 00:43:50,969 --> 00:43:53,100 Mary Wittenberg: the street and there's no pro athletes. So that's the 795 00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:58,110 Mary Wittenberg: tip there. But anyway, I would say that was a 796 00:43:58,110 --> 00:44:01,110 Mary Wittenberg: great experience and important in my life and fun because 797 00:44:01,110 --> 00:44:03,630 Mary Wittenberg: of the fellow lawyers and people who were helping me 798 00:44:03,630 --> 00:44:06,030 Mary Wittenberg: do it, which is kind of crazy. But I would 799 00:44:06,030 --> 00:44:09,270 Mary Wittenberg: say that there's so many impactful, but I think probably 800 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,310 Mary Wittenberg: the Addis Ababa at 10K in Ethiopia stands out for me. Again, there's so 801 00:44:14,310 --> 00:44:18,540 Mary Wittenberg: many, but running Derek's here for me, New York Road 802 00:44:18,540 --> 00:44:22,920 Mary Wittenberg: Runners, thanks to Ted and Peter and so many people, 803 00:44:22,950 --> 00:44:26,040 Mary Wittenberg: my kids in our family grew up while I was 804 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:29,310 Mary Wittenberg: working at New York Road Runners, so it really was 805 00:44:29,310 --> 00:44:33,780 Mary Wittenberg: an extraordinary experience for us. But during that time period 806 00:44:33,780 --> 00:44:36,899 Mary Wittenberg: we were trying desperately to recruit Haile Gebrselassie, who always 807 00:44:36,900 --> 00:44:38,880 Mary Wittenberg: wanted to run for time. He was then the world's 808 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:42,000 Mary Wittenberg: best. And so he only would run flat races, and 809 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,450 Mary Wittenberg: it was a 10 year recruiting effort, but I got to 810 00:44:45,450 --> 00:44:49,440 Mary Wittenberg: run that event. And seeing the streets lined in Addis 811 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:52,980 Mary Wittenberg: Ababa, Ethiopia, with people who had walked for miles with 812 00:44:52,980 --> 00:44:57,330 Mary Wittenberg: nothing on their feet in the spirit of that community, 813 00:44:58,980 --> 00:45:02,640 Mary Wittenberg: I would definitely say, again, I'm lucky to have many, 814 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:04,050 Mary Wittenberg: but that's probably my favorite event. 815 00:45:04,230 --> 00:45:04,920 Rob: That's pretty cool. 816 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:07,440 Becs Gentry: Amazing. Ted, Fred? 817 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:08,850 Rob: Ted, you haven't broken the tape. 818 00:45:09,660 --> 00:45:11,640 Ted Metellus: I've held some finish line tapes. 819 00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:12,931 Rob: But you've held tape. Exactly. You've held a lot of tape. 820 00:45:12,930 --> 00:45:19,200 Ted Metellus: I've started some races. I have no issues being dead last. 821 00:45:19,710 --> 00:45:22,830 Ted Metellus: I learned today that Fred Lebow's one Five Borough Marathon 822 00:45:22,830 --> 00:45:24,750 Ted Metellus: is roughly the same pace that I run mine. 823 00:45:25,260 --> 00:45:25,291 Becs Gentry: Oh, we go. 824 00:45:25,290 --> 00:45:28,320 Ted Metellus: So he finished at five hours in 32 minutes, and that was roughly 825 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:30,361 Ted Metellus: around the time I finished my marathon, so there you go. 826 00:45:30,361 --> 00:45:30,362 Becs Gentry: We're learning there's more and more in common. 827 00:45:30,362 --> 00:45:30,363 Ted Metellus: There you go. 828 00:45:30,363 --> 00:45:30,364 Becs Gentry: Not just a name. 829 00:45:30,364 --> 00:45:37,410 Ted Metellus: Exactly. We're kindred spirits. In short, I'm very, very, very 830 00:45:37,410 --> 00:45:39,300 Ted Metellus: blessed to still be able to get out and run. 831 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,900 Ted Metellus: I'm nowhere near as fast as Mary Wittenberg. She ran a, 832 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:46,080 Ted Metellus: what, sub two hour, half- marathon. I'd be lucky to 833 00:45:46,080 --> 00:45:52,590 Ted Metellus: finish a 10K in that time. But I thought about 834 00:45:52,590 --> 00:45:54,930 Ted Metellus: this, and it's hard because I've New York City, the TCS New York City 835 00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:58,920 Ted Metellus: Marathon twice. I ran it in '08 and it was really, really, really, really, really 836 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:04,680 Ted Metellus: hard. Fun fact, train. I highly recommend it. Do not 837 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:07,080 Ted Metellus: stand at the expo for three days straight and then 838 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:11,339 Ted Metellus: turn around and run the marathon. Bad, bad, bad. Expo 839 00:46:11,340 --> 00:46:14,070 Ted Metellus: legs are a real thing. But when I ran in 840 00:46:14,070 --> 00:46:21,600 Ted Metellus: '13, it was amazing because obviously 2012 with Sandy- 841 00:46:23,070 --> 00:46:23,071 Mary Wittenberg: And at Boston. 842 00:46:23,071 --> 00:46:25,140 Ted Metellus: Boston, there was so much going on. And then I went out 843 00:46:25,140 --> 00:46:30,450 Ted Metellus: and I trained, I ran with friends. I was working 844 00:46:30,450 --> 00:46:32,010 Ted Metellus: at the time for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series 845 00:46:32,010 --> 00:46:34,170 Ted Metellus: and I was traveling literally all over the world, and I 846 00:46:34,170 --> 00:46:37,440 Ted Metellus: was running with my friends and colleagues all over the 847 00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:39,540 Ted Metellus: place and getting myself ready for it. So that will 848 00:46:39,540 --> 00:46:44,069 Ted Metellus: always be the most incredible experience. But my first marathon 849 00:46:44,190 --> 00:46:48,239 Ted Metellus: holds closest to my heart because I ran this unbelievably 850 00:46:48,270 --> 00:46:52,860 Ted Metellus: hard, hard, hard race, and still huge ties to the 851 00:46:52,860 --> 00:46:57,390 Ted Metellus: organization and my mom came to the finish line. So, 852 00:46:57,390 --> 00:47:00,210 Ted Metellus: superfast story, 'cause I know we're sensitive on time here. 853 00:47:01,020 --> 00:47:03,900 Ted Metellus: My mom worked at a hotel for 18 years, and 854 00:47:03,900 --> 00:47:06,900 Ted Metellus: the hotel's since gone. And she finally knew what I 855 00:47:06,930 --> 00:47:11,550 Ted Metellus: did professionally when I started working at the then club is 856 00:47:11,550 --> 00:47:13,560 Ted Metellus: what we used to call it. And I said, " Mom, I'm 857 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:15,000 Ted Metellus: going to be working for the New York City Marathon." And 858 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:18,000 Ted Metellus: she's like, " I know the New York City Marathon every 859 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:20,010 Ted Metellus: November, people from all over the world come to the 860 00:47:20,010 --> 00:47:24,239 Ted Metellus: hotel. They leave tips, they're so nice." So I go, " 861 00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:29,850 Ted Metellus: That's where I work. I work at the tip place." So that 862 00:47:29,850 --> 00:47:33,210 Ted Metellus: was it. I worked tons of events and triathlons, and multi- 863 00:47:33,210 --> 00:47:35,790 Ted Metellus: day cycling events, and walks for AIDS and breast cancer, 864 00:47:35,790 --> 00:47:38,160 Ted Metellus: and all this stuff all over the country. And she 865 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:39,630 Ted Metellus: finally got it when I said the New York City 866 00:47:39,630 --> 00:47:42,569 Ted Metellus: Marathon. So here it is, I'm running the marathon in '08, 867 00:47:42,750 --> 00:47:45,630 Ted Metellus: slowest marathon in the world. I'm literally moving backwards. I 868 00:47:45,630 --> 00:47:47,430 Ted Metellus: felt like I got younger as I kept going, I 869 00:47:47,430 --> 00:47:51,570 Ted Metellus: was moving so slow. I got to the finish line 870 00:47:51,660 --> 00:47:56,219 Ted Metellus: and who's sitting there, sitting at the finish line in a chair 871 00:47:56,670 --> 00:47:58,590 Ted Metellus: and all my colleagues are there, but my mother. 872 00:47:58,590 --> 00:47:58,770 Mary Wittenberg: Amazing. 873 00:48:00,210 --> 00:48:00,719 Becs Gentry: Yeah, mom. 874 00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:05,069 Ted Metellus: So my good, good friend, Evelyn Pate, took this incredible 875 00:48:05,070 --> 00:48:09,210 Ted Metellus: photo that I'll gladly share with you all, of my 876 00:48:09,210 --> 00:48:11,910 Ted Metellus: mom with this look on her face of just pride 877 00:48:12,870 --> 00:48:14,910 Ted Metellus: and being like, " I'm so happy you're here. It's cold 878 00:48:14,910 --> 00:48:17,911 Ted Metellus: outside. I've been waiting for hours, fool. Where you been?" 879 00:48:17,911 --> 00:48:17,912 Rob: "What took you so long?" 880 00:48:17,912 --> 00:48:26,850 Ted Metellus: Exactly. But it was one of the most incredible experiences. And you'll never forget your 881 00:48:26,850 --> 00:48:29,580 Ted Metellus: first. You'll never forget your first love, your first experience, 882 00:48:29,580 --> 00:48:32,640 Ted Metellus: your first vacation, you'll never forget your first marathon. 883 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:36,031 Becs Gentry: Oh my gosh. 884 00:48:36,031 --> 00:48:36,151 Mary Wittenberg: Okay. I can't beat that, but I have to have changed my answer. 885 00:48:36,151 --> 00:48:39,481 Ted Metellus: " I'll see that Ted and raise it." 886 00:48:39,481 --> 00:48:43,350 Mary Wittenberg: And Ted was a big part of this, the year 887 00:48:43,350 --> 00:48:44,100 Mary Wittenberg: I ran with Peter. 888 00:48:44,190 --> 00:48:45,299 Ted Metellus: Oh yeah. 889 00:48:45,360 --> 00:48:46,380 Mary Wittenberg: The very hot year. 890 00:48:46,380 --> 00:48:48,180 Rob: Peter Ciaccia, the race director. 891 00:48:48,270 --> 00:48:48,630 Ted Metellus: 2022. 892 00:48:48,840 --> 00:48:51,930 Mary Wittenberg: So Peter Ciaccia's first year after he left or second 893 00:48:51,930 --> 00:48:55,200 Mary Wittenberg: year, and we got to run together, and we ran five 894 00:48:55,200 --> 00:49:00,120 Mary Wittenberg: hours and 15 minutes and it was the best marathon experience ever. 895 00:49:01,050 --> 00:49:04,920 Mary Wittenberg: And it was really seeing the work of this team 896 00:49:04,980 --> 00:49:08,969 Mary Wittenberg: and these volunteers put just everything into this, as you 897 00:49:08,969 --> 00:49:15,360 Mary Wittenberg: know, and getting to actually take our time. And it 898 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:17,969 Mary Wittenberg: was a gift that was that hot because we stopped 899 00:49:17,969 --> 00:49:22,529 Mary Wittenberg: and stopped and talked and saw everybody. And New Yorkers 900 00:49:22,530 --> 00:49:26,819 Mary Wittenberg: are so lucky when you run this marathon, because as 901 00:49:26,820 --> 00:49:29,580 Mary Wittenberg: huge as it is, you see so many people. And 902 00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:32,040 Mary Wittenberg: so it's such a cool thing to be with the 903 00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:34,410 Mary Wittenberg: other runners. And then to watch for Pete, we could 904 00:49:34,410 --> 00:49:36,480 Mary Wittenberg: tell the age of the spectator because if they knew 905 00:49:36,480 --> 00:49:41,160 Mary Wittenberg: me, they'd been around for a while. But the love 906 00:49:41,160 --> 00:49:44,610 Mary Wittenberg: for Peter, and again, the generation, each of us, the 907 00:49:44,610 --> 00:49:47,279 Mary Wittenberg: teammates we each got to work with was really something. 908 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:49,590 Mary Wittenberg: But there is nothing like the New York City Marathon. 909 00:49:49,590 --> 00:49:52,500 Becs Gentry: Truly, there is not. Your passion, both of your passion 910 00:49:52,500 --> 00:49:57,990 Becs Gentry: for running, community, growth, it's infectious in the best way. And- 911 00:49:57,990 --> 00:49:57,991 Rob: It sure is. 912 00:49:57,991 --> 00:50:02,100 Becs Gentry: ... we are all so lucky to have had you, 913 00:50:02,130 --> 00:50:04,920 Becs Gentry: Mary, and continue to have you at the races. And 914 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:08,069 Becs Gentry: Ted, so lucky to have you right now leading the 915 00:50:08,070 --> 00:50:12,210 Becs Gentry: way. Thank you for all you do and keep bringing 916 00:50:12,210 --> 00:50:14,730 Becs Gentry: all that color too to the love of running. 917 00:50:15,060 --> 00:50:29,251 Rob: All right, let's give it up for Ted and Mary. Mary Wittenberg, Ted Metellus, thank you- 918 00:50:29,250 --> 00:50:29,252 Becs Gentry: Aka Fred. 919 00:50:29,251 --> 00:50:44,760 Rob: ... both so much. Becs, that was amazing. 920 00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:45,960 Becs Gentry: So it's Ted Lebow? 921 00:50:46,290 --> 00:50:52,020 Rob: Ted Lebow, Fred Metellus, both incredible race directors, along with 922 00:50:52,020 --> 00:50:57,180 Rob: Mary Wittenberg. But that was so much fun, as I 923 00:50:57,180 --> 00:51:00,300 Rob: knew it would be 'cause both incredible people, great leaders. 924 00:51:00,300 --> 00:51:04,650 Rob: And our audience here, they haven't budged. Every single one 925 00:51:04,650 --> 00:51:07,320 Rob: of them is sitting here enjoying that conversation. And we've 926 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:10,830 Rob: got another great conversation coming up right now, as we've 927 00:51:10,830 --> 00:51:14,550 Rob: got our member moment and it's fun to have a 928 00:51:14,550 --> 00:51:15,361 Rob: live member here. 929 00:51:15,361 --> 00:51:17,520 Becs Gentry: I was going to say, it's so nice to have a live member here. 930 00:51:17,520 --> 00:51:18,330 Rob: Absolutely. 931 00:51:18,390 --> 00:51:18,660 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Thank you so much for having me. 932 00:51:20,580 --> 00:51:23,279 Rob: It's great to have you. I'd like to introduce you 933 00:51:23,280 --> 00:51:26,940 Rob: all to Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio. Did I pronounce that right? 934 00:51:26,940 --> 00:51:27,510 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, that's perfect. 935 00:51:27,989 --> 00:51:28,231 Rob: Thank you very much. 936 00:51:28,230 --> 00:51:28,350 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Just like Pinocchio. 937 00:51:28,410 --> 00:51:32,069 Rob: Just like Pinocchio, but much more honest. Right? Luke is 938 00:51:32,070 --> 00:51:35,340 Rob: a radiologist based in New York City and he's got 939 00:51:35,340 --> 00:51:38,400 Rob: an incredible running resume, as a member of New York 940 00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:44,100 Rob: Road Runners since 2016, in addition to running 120 races 941 00:51:44,250 --> 00:51:47,100 Rob: of New York Road Runners in that time, including seven 942 00:51:47,219 --> 00:51:49,560 Rob: Fred Lebow, Half Marathons. That counts yesterday? 943 00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:49,799 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yep. 944 00:51:51,210 --> 00:51:51,301 Becs Gentry: Wow, congratulations. 945 00:51:51,301 --> 00:51:55,290 Rob: Incredible. Congratulations on the race yesterday. And then also, six TCS New 946 00:51:55,290 --> 00:51:58,680 Rob: York City Marathons. But not just that, he's also completed 947 00:51:59,010 --> 00:52:04,410 Rob: the very challenging 48. 6 mile Dopey Challenge down at Disney. 948 00:52:04,410 --> 00:52:04,561 Becs Gentry: Did you just do it? 949 00:52:04,560 --> 00:52:05,430 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Just one. No, about four years ago. 950 00:52:07,290 --> 00:52:07,830 Becs Gentry: Still amazing. 951 00:52:07,830 --> 00:52:12,960 Rob: The Dopey Challenge is no joke. And this is something 952 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:15,390 Rob: I haven't done, and I really want to do this, Luke 953 00:52:15,390 --> 00:52:20,250 Rob: has tackled three Empire State Building run up races, which 954 00:52:20,250 --> 00:52:22,531 Rob: is one of the coolest things, kind of an unknown event. 955 00:52:22,531 --> 00:52:27,000 Becs Gentry: We're going to get. I've got a lot of questions about doing that three times that's coming 956 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:27,419 Becs Gentry: from me. 957 00:52:27,420 --> 00:52:31,649 Rob: Absolutely. And Luke trains alongside his fiancee, Amber. So Luke, 958 00:52:31,650 --> 00:52:32,580 Rob: welcome to the show. 959 00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:33,181 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, thank you so much. 960 00:52:33,181 --> 00:52:33,182 Becs Gentry: Welcome. 961 00:52:33,182 --> 00:52:39,480 Rob: Great to have you. So, what drives all of this running and climbing 962 00:52:39,480 --> 00:52:43,319 Rob: for you? You're obviously very busy, you're a radiologist, that's 963 00:52:43,320 --> 00:52:47,280 Rob: a high demand job, I'm sure. Probably high stress at 964 00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:51,360 Rob: times. How does running and running upstairs kind of fit 965 00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:52,169 Rob: into it all for you? 966 00:52:53,580 --> 00:52:55,170 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I used to play a lot of sports growing up. 967 00:52:55,560 --> 00:52:57,540 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: And when they used to have us run the mile 968 00:52:57,540 --> 00:53:00,030 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: and gym, I hated it. I hated every aspect of 969 00:53:00,030 --> 00:53:02,400 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: running. It was not interesting to me. I wanted to 970 00:53:02,400 --> 00:53:04,590 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: be outside, I wanted to be competing in a sport. 971 00:53:07,770 --> 00:53:11,130 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I moved here for a med school training, and I 972 00:53:11,130 --> 00:53:13,590 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: started to just go out in the river and see all 973 00:53:13,590 --> 00:53:15,780 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: these runners, and really start to get a sense of 974 00:53:15,780 --> 00:53:22,290 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: the community. And I think I was just getting to 975 00:53:22,290 --> 00:53:26,160 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: meet a lot of people that did that. And it 976 00:53:26,160 --> 00:53:29,130 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: was really just an eye- opening experience, just to see 977 00:53:29,130 --> 00:53:31,920 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: how many people are actually out there every day in all 978 00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:36,090 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: sorts of weather, just running in the city. So I 979 00:53:36,090 --> 00:53:39,360 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: thought about trying it out. So, I was looking at 980 00:53:39,360 --> 00:53:42,210 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: the race schedule in 2016, just seeing what I might 981 00:53:42,210 --> 00:53:45,719 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: be interested in. And I'm a big tennis fan, so 982 00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:49,590 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Queens 10K appealed to me. I thought great opportunity to 983 00:53:49,590 --> 00:53:55,469 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: run around Flushing Park, and maybe not so great reason, 984 00:53:55,980 --> 00:53:57,899 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it was the shortest race I thought I could train 985 00:53:57,900 --> 00:54:00,570 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: for to actually get a formal medal. And I thought- 986 00:54:00,570 --> 00:54:00,900 Becs Gentry: Very fair. 987 00:54:01,620 --> 00:54:04,020 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: My goal was I'm going to run one, get the 988 00:54:04,020 --> 00:54:05,910 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: medal, put it up on my wall and be done. 989 00:54:05,910 --> 00:54:07,440 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: That was- 990 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:08,460 Rob: Smart strategy. I like that. 991 00:54:09,750 --> 00:54:10,530 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I thought that's where it would end, honestly. 992 00:54:10,530 --> 00:54:12,391 Rob: Yeah, minimal miles per metal. I love it. Absolutely. 993 00:54:12,391 --> 00:54:15,510 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure assistance I could do. So I trained up 994 00:54:15,510 --> 00:54:18,540 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: to that on the East River, and I did that and 995 00:54:18,540 --> 00:54:21,030 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I was like, " All right, you know what? I did 996 00:54:21,030 --> 00:54:23,700 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it. I never thought I'd do that race. So all right, 997 00:54:23,700 --> 00:54:25,020 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: next step's a half." 998 00:54:25,020 --> 00:54:26,101 Rob: That's how we get you, Luke. That's how we get you. 999 00:54:26,101 --> 00:54:26,102 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: It becomes addictive. 1000 00:54:26,102 --> 00:54:28,890 Rob: That one medal. Next thing you know. 1001 00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:29,850 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: One medal, I'm like- 1002 00:54:29,850 --> 00:54:29,911 Becs Gentry: You see it shining. 1003 00:54:29,911 --> 00:54:31,891 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: ... " I want the better medal." 1004 00:54:31,890 --> 00:54:32,340 Becs Gentry: "I want an upgrade." 1005 00:54:34,260 --> 00:54:36,000 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I entered the lottery and I was like, " If I 1006 00:54:36,000 --> 00:54:38,760 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: don't get in, then I'll just hang up my running 1007 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:40,920 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: shoes, be done with it." Got in the lottery for the NYC 1008 00:54:41,430 --> 00:54:46,530 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Half, and since then, it's just one step and then see another 1009 00:54:46,530 --> 00:54:50,040 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: challenge and then think, " Yeah, you know what? It'd be worth trying to 1010 00:54:50,040 --> 00:54:51,600 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: see if I can accomplish it." 1011 00:54:52,259 --> 00:54:52,830 Becs Gentry: Wow. 1012 00:54:52,890 --> 00:54:52,891 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. 1013 00:54:52,891 --> 00:54:52,892 Becs Gentry: And here you are. 1014 00:54:52,892 --> 00:54:53,281 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. 1015 00:54:54,960 --> 00:54:56,880 Becs Gentry: Nearly 10 years later, still running. 1016 00:54:56,880 --> 00:54:57,180 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. 1017 00:54:57,810 --> 00:55:01,290 Becs Gentry: Okay. So your job, radiologist, you're a doctor, very high- 1018 00:55:01,290 --> 00:55:05,969 Becs Gentry: pressure environment, as Rob said. What do you think running 1019 00:55:06,270 --> 00:55:11,490 Becs Gentry: has given you back over the past 10 years to keep you going? 1020 00:55:11,610 --> 00:55:15,840 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, absolutely. There's a few things, or actually, really nothing 1021 00:55:15,840 --> 00:55:18,270 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: comes close for me for the mental health aspect of 1022 00:55:18,270 --> 00:55:21,690 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it. For me personally, after work. I'm not a big 1023 00:55:21,690 --> 00:55:26,790 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: morning running person. I've tried, I've been doing a couple 1024 00:55:26,790 --> 00:55:28,950 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: of times, trying with a group of friends. The 5: 00 1025 00:55:28,950 --> 00:55:31,470 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: AM runs, really not my thing. For me personally- 1026 00:55:31,470 --> 00:55:33,030 Becs Gentry: 5: 00 AM is hard. That's a real early one. 1027 00:55:33,030 --> 00:55:36,060 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, it's a tough one. For me, getting out of 1028 00:55:36,060 --> 00:55:39,180 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: work, changing, going for a run, it's the best form 1029 00:55:39,180 --> 00:55:42,270 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: of de- stressing after a tough day of work, tough 1030 00:55:42,270 --> 00:55:45,120 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: day in school. So I think it brings that aspect. 1031 00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:48,930 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: And then also, just the physical health aspect. I think 1032 00:55:48,930 --> 00:55:51,989 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: those go hand- in- hand. And really, nothing else to 1033 00:55:51,989 --> 00:55:56,160 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: me matches that. I'm not a big indoor gym guy 1034 00:55:56,160 --> 00:55:58,259 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: necessarily. I go every now and then and train during 1035 00:55:58,260 --> 00:56:01,469 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: the winter. But getting outside and just going for runs, 1036 00:56:01,469 --> 00:56:05,550 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: and then during the races, just being around thousands of 1037 00:56:05,550 --> 00:56:08,340 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: people doing the exact same thing. Everyone with a different 1038 00:56:08,340 --> 00:56:11,189 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: story. It's inspiring and it keeps you going. 1039 00:56:11,310 --> 00:56:13,500 Becs Gentry: The community love. That's real. 1040 00:56:13,590 --> 00:56:16,380 Rob: It's funny, Luke, I always say, " Win the morning, win 1041 00:56:16,380 --> 00:56:20,700 Rob: the day." But you're proof that sometimes you can still come 1042 00:56:20,700 --> 00:56:21,930 Rob: back and win the day late. 1043 00:56:22,560 --> 00:56:23,700 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: You can win it at the end of the day. 1044 00:56:23,700 --> 00:56:26,640 Rob: That's right. Win at the end. A buzzer beater. You're winning at the buzzer. I 1045 00:56:26,640 --> 00:56:27,180 Rob: like that. 1046 00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:30,002 Becs Gentry: (inaudible) . 1047 00:56:30,060 --> 00:56:34,469 Rob: Exactly. So I want to talk about the non- New 1048 00:56:34,469 --> 00:56:38,730 Rob: York Roaders event, the Empire State Building Run. I'm so fascinated 1049 00:56:38,730 --> 00:56:41,400 Rob: by this. I've never done it. It's really on my 1050 00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:42,210 Rob: bucket list. 1051 00:56:42,210 --> 00:56:42,570 Becs Gentry: Really? 1052 00:56:42,690 --> 00:56:45,660 Rob: It really is. I happen to really love stairs. 1053 00:56:45,660 --> 00:56:46,170 Becs Gentry: I'm going to remind you of that. 1054 00:56:46,890 --> 00:56:51,090 Rob: I love running upstairs because it's just an amazing workout. 1055 00:56:51,420 --> 00:56:53,341 Becs Gentry: I'm sat between two very strange people right now, I know. 1056 00:56:53,341 --> 00:56:56,489 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Oh, I don't love stairs. Don't worry. 1057 00:56:58,080 --> 00:56:58,859 Rob: It's really strange. 1058 00:56:58,859 --> 00:57:02,070 Becs Gentry: I don't believe you. You've done it three times. Three times 86, 1059 00:57:02,070 --> 00:57:04,049 Becs Gentry: I'm bad at math. Whatever, that's a lot of stairs. 1060 00:57:04,950 --> 00:57:07,980 Rob: Can you tell me, Luke, do you feel like you're running 1061 00:57:07,980 --> 00:57:10,230 Rob: when you're running up all those stairs? Are you walking? 1062 00:57:11,550 --> 00:57:13,170 Rob: What are you feeling as you're doing that? 1063 00:57:13,230 --> 00:57:15,810 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: The first time I did it, I thought, " I'll train 1064 00:57:15,810 --> 00:57:19,410 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: in my apartment building. I could do some stairs." And 1065 00:57:19,410 --> 00:57:22,260 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I hit it running two stairs at a time. I 1066 00:57:22,260 --> 00:57:26,160 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: barely made it 10 floors and was just wiped out. Not the 1067 00:57:26,160 --> 00:57:30,840 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: strategy to do. The pros, more power to them. They're amazing. 1068 00:57:30,930 --> 00:57:33,630 Becs Gentry: Can we just make sure people understand, it is 85 flights of, sorry, 86 flights of stairs. 1069 00:57:36,330 --> 00:57:40,560 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: It's the first observatory landing. Yeah. So really, the finish 1070 00:57:40,560 --> 00:57:41,250 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: is amazing. 1071 00:57:41,550 --> 00:57:41,850 Becs Gentry: I'm sure. 1072 00:57:41,850 --> 00:57:45,000 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: You get to just see the whole city, but getting there, I'd rather take 1073 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:45,631 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: the elevator, to be honest. 1074 00:57:45,631 --> 00:57:45,870 Becs Gentry: That would be me. 1075 00:57:47,790 --> 00:57:50,820 Rob: She's calling us crazy. She just ran seven marathons on 1076 00:57:50,820 --> 00:57:55,095 Rob: seven continents in seven days and she's talking about running up 1077 00:57:55,095 --> 00:57:55,620 Rob: some stairs. 1078 00:57:59,010 --> 00:58:02,729 Becs Gentry: I was going to say, how on earth do you train for that without 1079 00:58:02,730 --> 00:58:04,320 Becs Gentry: going to the gym? But you said it, you train 1080 00:58:04,320 --> 00:58:05,160 Becs Gentry: in your apartment building. 1081 00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:07,470 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I do StairMaster work as well, but yeah, I did it the old- 1082 00:58:07,470 --> 00:58:10,470 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: fashioned way, just going up and down set of stairs. 1083 00:58:11,580 --> 00:58:14,250 Becs Gentry: I'm really going into this, I know, did your heart rate go crazy? 1084 00:58:14,430 --> 00:58:15,630 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, more so than in marathoning. 1085 00:58:15,630 --> 00:58:16,590 Becs Gentry: Of course. 1086 00:58:16,650 --> 00:58:18,930 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I think the marathons, you can just settle into a 1087 00:58:18,930 --> 00:58:23,460 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: pace, take in your surroundings, enjoy it. When you're in 1088 00:58:23,460 --> 00:58:26,550 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: a stairwell, there's nothing to see. There's only a door 1089 00:58:26,550 --> 00:58:29,340 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: open every 20 flights. You're just looking at the person 1090 00:58:29,340 --> 00:58:29,820 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: in front of you. 1091 00:58:29,820 --> 00:58:31,920 Becs Gentry: Yeah, the claustrophobic in me freaking out. 1092 00:58:31,950 --> 00:58:32,400 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1093 00:58:32,700 --> 00:58:33,331 Becs Gentry: Whoa, whoa. Are you doing it again this year? 1094 00:58:33,331 --> 00:58:36,241 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: So it's a lottery. 1095 00:58:36,240 --> 00:58:36,780 Becs Gentry: Okay, it's lottery. 1096 00:58:38,000 --> 00:58:38,970 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: (inaudible) super, super, fast. Yeah. 1097 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:39,330 Becs Gentry: Okay. 1098 00:58:39,450 --> 00:58:41,940 Rob: All right. We'll talk offline. We're going to do this together, Luke. 1099 00:58:41,940 --> 00:58:43,021 Rob: I want to do this thing. 1100 00:58:43,021 --> 00:58:43,200 Becs Gentry: I'm going to take the elevator up and cheat. 1101 00:58:46,110 --> 00:58:48,240 Rob: All right, well, a race that's more familiar to our 1102 00:58:48,270 --> 00:58:50,940 Rob: listeners, the TCS New York City Marathon. You've run it 1103 00:58:50,940 --> 00:58:54,000 Rob: six times, which is incredible. It's obviously a dream for 1104 00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:56,850 Rob: a lot of folks. How has it evolved for you 1105 00:58:56,850 --> 00:58:59,640 Rob: over those six times? From your first time to now, 1106 00:58:59,640 --> 00:59:02,370 Rob: how has it changed for you? Do you have goals 1107 00:59:02,370 --> 00:59:03,210 Rob: you're trying to accomplish? 1108 00:59:03,480 --> 00:59:05,460 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, I think every year is different. I think as 1109 00:59:05,460 --> 00:59:07,770 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Ted said, the first one's always going to be special. 1110 00:59:08,460 --> 00:59:11,100 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: That was, again, a time, no one in my family 1111 00:59:11,100 --> 00:59:13,920 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: has ever done any sort of distance running. I didn't 1112 00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:16,260 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: know if I'd even finish, but I just trained for 1113 00:59:16,260 --> 00:59:17,070 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it. I didn't have- 1114 00:59:17,070 --> 00:59:17,641 Becs Gentry: What year was it? 1115 00:59:17,641 --> 00:59:17,820 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: It was 2018. 1116 00:59:18,900 --> 00:59:19,770 Becs Gentry: 2018, your first one? 1117 00:59:19,770 --> 00:59:19,830 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. 1118 00:59:19,830 --> 00:59:21,870 Becs Gentry: Okay, so only two years after your first race. 1119 00:59:22,080 --> 00:59:22,081 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. Yeah, it's- 1120 00:59:22,081 --> 00:59:22,082 Becs Gentry: That's pretty cool. 1121 00:59:22,082 --> 00:59:26,280 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: It was one of those things, just kept going. And 1122 00:59:27,450 --> 00:59:29,160 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I didn't own a watch at the time, I just 1123 00:59:29,160 --> 00:59:33,210 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: had gotten running shoes for that six months leading up 1124 00:59:33,210 --> 00:59:36,631 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: to it, and I just ran based on the little signs. And just- 1125 00:59:36,631 --> 00:59:38,520 Rob: We got clocks out there. Yeah. 1126 00:59:38,520 --> 00:59:39,960 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, exactly. So I was like, " Oh, you know what? 1127 00:59:39,960 --> 00:59:42,600 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: That works." And I didn't care about my time. 1128 00:59:42,600 --> 00:59:45,000 Rob: What Did you run your 10K in? Converse? 1129 00:59:45,300 --> 00:59:50,100 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Oh, I bought Under Armour at Modell's, and they were kind of running 1130 00:59:50,100 --> 00:59:50,730 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: shoes, but not formal. 1131 00:59:50,730 --> 00:59:50,971 Becs Gentry: Not proper ones? 1132 00:59:50,970 --> 00:59:52,380 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Not proper ones. 1133 00:59:52,410 --> 00:59:52,890 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Okay. 1134 00:59:53,760 --> 00:59:55,651 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: So I finally upgraded for the marathon. I thought that would be important. 1135 00:59:55,651 --> 00:59:55,652 Becs Gentry: Yeah, need some comfort. 1136 00:59:55,652 --> 01:00:01,170 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah. But it was special 'cause I just tried to take 1137 01:00:01,170 --> 01:00:03,630 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it all in. I thought, " It might be the only 1138 01:00:03,630 --> 01:00:07,410 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: time I ever do this." Just taking the community, the 1139 01:00:07,410 --> 01:00:13,800 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: sites. 2019, my fiance decided to do it with me, so that 1140 01:00:13,800 --> 01:00:16,830 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I'll always be special. We had a pretty good time. And 1141 01:00:16,830 --> 01:00:21,630 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: then 2020, obviously didn't happen, but I got to do 1142 01:00:21,660 --> 01:00:25,020 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: 2021 luckily. And that was special in its own right. 1143 01:00:25,020 --> 01:00:29,760 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: And then I feel like every year since, it's always 1144 01:00:29,760 --> 01:00:33,000 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: interesting, the lead up to it, it's always a little 1145 01:00:33,000 --> 01:00:36,720 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: different. The first time's always new and exciting, and every 1146 01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,419 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: year you trying to find different motivation. And I think 1147 01:00:39,780 --> 01:00:41,880 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: what originally drove me to the first one is not 1148 01:00:41,880 --> 01:00:45,210 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: necessarily what's still driving me to run. 1149 01:00:46,380 --> 01:00:47,220 Rob: What's driving you now? 1150 01:00:49,260 --> 01:00:54,330 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Some days I'm not sure, but I've always told myself 1151 01:00:54,630 --> 01:00:56,640 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: like you had said, so many people want to run 1152 01:00:56,640 --> 01:00:59,430 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: this race and I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity 1153 01:00:59,430 --> 01:01:00,540 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: to live in Manhattan 1154 01:01:00,540 --> 01:01:01,050 Rob: Hear, hear. 1155 01:01:01,050 --> 01:01:04,530 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: And every year just can do it again. So, as 1156 01:01:04,530 --> 01:01:08,010 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: long as I'm living nearby, I just want to keep doing 1157 01:01:08,010 --> 01:01:11,250 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it, 'cause really, every year when I finish, I just 1158 01:01:11,250 --> 01:01:14,790 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: appreciate how special that day is. And I do think 1159 01:01:14,790 --> 01:01:15,091 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: it's the best day in Manhattan every year. 1160 01:01:15,091 --> 01:01:15,301 Becs Gentry: Agreed. 1161 01:01:18,150 --> 01:01:20,220 Rob: We completely agree. Best day of the year in New 1162 01:01:20,220 --> 01:01:24,300 Rob: York City. We were talking about how many really successful 1163 01:01:24,300 --> 01:01:27,960 Rob: people we find running our races. It seems to me 1164 01:01:27,960 --> 01:01:32,550 Rob: like there's some correlation between running marathons and challenging yourself 1165 01:01:32,550 --> 01:01:35,820 Rob: in this way, to doing other things really well in 1166 01:01:35,820 --> 01:01:39,780 Rob: life. And you're another example of that, being a radiologist, 1167 01:01:40,320 --> 01:01:42,450 Rob: a lot of training, a lot of hard work. I'm sure there 1168 01:01:42,450 --> 01:01:44,880 Rob: are lots of points along the way where you're like, " 1169 01:01:44,880 --> 01:01:46,680 Rob: I don't know if I really want to do this, 1170 01:01:46,680 --> 01:01:50,430 Rob: another set of schools I have to go to, more 1171 01:01:50,430 --> 01:01:55,770 Rob: training." How do you think running connects to what you 1172 01:01:55,770 --> 01:01:59,550 Rob: do? And being a radiologist in particular, what I know about 1173 01:01:59,550 --> 01:02:03,750 Rob: it is you're looking at people who are sometimes dealing with 1174 01:02:03,750 --> 01:02:08,040 Rob: some pretty serious illnesses, cancer and things like that. How 1175 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:10,290 Rob: does running play into what you do? 1176 01:02:11,190 --> 01:02:15,960 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, I guess a couple parts to that. One I think is just the sense 1177 01:02:15,960 --> 01:02:21,030 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: of hard work and delayed, and the idea that you 1178 01:02:21,030 --> 01:02:24,960 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: can work towards something, and hopefully at the end of 1179 01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:26,760 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: all that you get to where you want to be 1180 01:02:27,840 --> 01:02:31,320 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: and hopefully appreciate the road to get there. So I 1181 01:02:31,320 --> 01:02:34,800 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: think in terms of training, and I finally started working 1182 01:02:34,800 --> 01:02:37,470 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: as an attending two and a half years ago, and 1183 01:02:37,470 --> 01:02:41,040 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I think it really is where I wanted to be in life. 1184 01:02:42,570 --> 01:02:46,590 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: But then in terms of the day to day, it 1185 01:02:46,590 --> 01:02:50,760 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: is something that I think my job puts the opportunities you 1186 01:02:50,760 --> 01:02:54,270 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: get into perspective. You do see, unfortunately, a lot of 1187 01:02:54,270 --> 01:02:58,020 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: people that don't have the opportunities that I can wake up 1188 01:02:58,020 --> 01:03:01,170 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: and I can go for a run and go about my day. 1189 01:03:02,160 --> 01:03:04,770 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: And I think it really just makes you appreciate that, 1190 01:03:04,800 --> 01:03:06,540 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: every day that you get to do that, and every 1191 01:03:06,540 --> 01:03:10,800 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: race you get to enter into and complete. And those 1192 01:03:10,800 --> 01:03:13,439 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: experiences you get to have, I think it really makes 1193 01:03:13,440 --> 01:03:14,400 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: those even more special. 1194 01:03:15,450 --> 01:03:20,190 Becs Gentry: Wow. Well, we are really happy that you have been a member for New York Road Runners for this 1195 01:03:20,190 --> 01:03:23,100 Becs Gentry: many years and been running, creating memories with your fiance, 1196 01:03:23,100 --> 01:03:27,060 Becs Gentry: Amber. So thank you, and congratulations on yesterday. What was 1197 01:03:27,060 --> 01:03:27,930 Becs Gentry: that, your seventh? 1198 01:03:28,200 --> 01:03:28,831 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, seventh. 1199 01:03:28,831 --> 01:03:30,570 Becs Gentry: Seventh Fred Lebow. 1200 01:03:30,570 --> 01:03:31,080 Rob: Amazing. 1201 01:03:31,290 --> 01:03:31,350 Becs Gentry: Wow. 1202 01:03:31,350 --> 01:03:31,950 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I did one every year. 1203 01:03:31,950 --> 01:03:34,260 Rob: So that's like 21 times up Harlem Hill. 1204 01:03:34,320 --> 01:03:36,390 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: I got to admit, you can just adjust the course 1205 01:03:36,390 --> 01:03:36,900 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: a little bit. 1206 01:03:38,460 --> 01:03:38,851 Rob: Talk to Ted Metellus. 1207 01:03:38,851 --> 01:03:38,852 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no. No, it's great. It's great every year. I do love it. 1208 01:03:38,852 --> 01:03:44,221 Rob: Maybe he can do something about that. He's over there. All right, doctor, thank you so much. 1209 01:03:44,220 --> 01:03:44,222 Becs Gentry: Thank you Dr. Luke. Thank you. 1210 01:03:44,221 --> 01:03:45,150 Rob: Dr. Luke Ginocchio, thank you so much. 1211 01:03:47,100 --> 01:03:47,460 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Thank you. 1212 01:03:48,720 --> 01:03:48,959 Rob: Thanks for being a member. 1213 01:03:52,000 --> 01:03:52,002 Becs Gentry: (inaudible) . 1214 01:03:52,002 --> 01:03:52,003 Dr. Luke A. Ginocchio: Thank you. 1215 01:03:53,700 --> 01:03:57,000 Rob: Well, Becs, we've got such a fun lineup today and- 1216 01:03:58,000 --> 01:04:00,000 Becs Gentry: (inaudible) going to say an exciting year ahead for you, doing the Empire 1217 01:04:00,000 --> 01:04:00,510 Becs Gentry: State thing. 1218 01:04:00,660 --> 01:04:02,761 Rob: Yeah, if I can get in. I got to get in. 1219 01:04:02,761 --> 01:04:03,001 Becs Gentry: I can get you in. 1220 01:04:03,600 --> 01:04:05,190 Rob: You think? You know somebody? Okay, that would great. 1221 01:04:05,310 --> 01:04:06,271 Becs Gentry: I'm going to make sure I get you in. 1222 01:04:06,271 --> 01:04:06,272 Rob: I don't know anybody. 1223 01:04:06,271 --> 01:04:06,273 Becs Gentry: That's my mission. 1224 01:04:06,272 --> 01:04:10,919 Rob: I'm going to regret this conversation. 1225 01:04:10,920 --> 01:04:11,070 Becs Gentry: You are. 1226 01:04:11,310 --> 01:04:13,650 Rob: For sure I'm going to regret ever having said this. 1227 01:04:13,650 --> 01:04:14,340 Becs Gentry: Your quads will. 1228 01:04:14,790 --> 01:04:16,860 Rob: I'm probably going to need some help if I ever 1229 01:04:16,860 --> 01:04:20,340 Rob: get into that from our next guest. Today, someone from 1230 01:04:20,520 --> 01:04:24,390 Rob: hospital for special surgery. That's right. We have such a 1231 01:04:24,390 --> 01:04:29,490 Rob: great partnership with HSS. They've, they've been such great partners 1232 01:04:29,490 --> 01:04:32,190 Rob: of ours, and of our members, because so many of 1233 01:04:32,190 --> 01:04:35,040 Rob: you out there, over the course of your running careers, 1234 01:04:35,250 --> 01:04:38,100 Rob: stuff happens. You need help, you need advice, you need 1235 01:04:38,100 --> 01:04:41,430 Rob: to find a way to keep running. And so this 1236 01:04:41,430 --> 01:04:45,390 Rob: week, we've got an amazing person who's a big part 1237 01:04:45,390 --> 01:04:48,960 Rob: of what they do over at HSS, Pam Geisel. She 1238 01:04:48,960 --> 01:04:53,040 Rob: is a run coach, she's a physiologist. She's got all 1239 01:04:53,040 --> 01:04:54,870 Rob: kinds of acronyms that I don't know what they mean 1240 01:04:54,870 --> 01:05:00,330 Rob: next to her name, CSCS or PCES. She'll explain all these 1241 01:05:00,330 --> 01:05:02,880 Rob: when she comes out. But what's really most important is 1242 01:05:02,880 --> 01:05:06,030 Rob: that she really plays an important role in getting people 1243 01:05:06,030 --> 01:05:09,720 Rob: healthy, getting them running, keeping them running. And so we're thrilled 1244 01:05:09,720 --> 01:05:12,060 Rob: to have Pam join us here. Come on out, Pam. 1245 01:05:12,060 --> 01:05:12,210 Rob: How are you? 1246 01:05:12,210 --> 01:05:12,270 Pam Geisel: Hi. 1247 01:05:15,390 --> 01:05:20,700 Rob: Great to have you here. We depend so much on HSS. 1248 01:05:20,700 --> 01:05:20,971 Becs Gentry: So much 1249 01:05:20,971 --> 01:05:24,420 Rob: For our runners, for our members. So first, I want 1250 01:05:24,450 --> 01:05:27,420 Rob: to start by asking you, of all the things that so 1251 01:05:27,420 --> 01:05:30,240 Rob: many of the people at HSS do for runners, what do you 1252 01:05:30,240 --> 01:05:32,130 Rob: do? What do all those acronyms mean? 1253 01:05:32,130 --> 01:05:33,810 Pam Geisel: Yes, so I think I have the best team at 1254 01:05:33,990 --> 01:05:36,990 Pam Geisel: HSS. I call this the fun side, because so much 1255 01:05:36,990 --> 01:05:40,140 Pam Geisel: that HSS is known for, the physicians, the physical therapists, 1256 01:05:40,620 --> 01:05:42,930 Pam Geisel: but I get to run a team of exercise physiologists, 1257 01:05:42,930 --> 01:05:46,680 Pam Geisel: Pilates instructors and massage therapists. So, we do the fun 1258 01:05:46,680 --> 01:05:51,720 Pam Geisel: things, from personal training to metabolic testing. So the full 1259 01:05:51,720 --> 01:05:54,240 Pam Geisel: gamut. So come join us because we do a lot 1260 01:05:54,240 --> 01:05:55,650 Pam Geisel: of fun things in the performance lab. 1261 01:05:56,130 --> 01:05:58,890 Becs Gentry: Oh my gosh. Okay. So what does CSCS stand for? 1262 01:05:59,190 --> 01:06:00,241 Pam Geisel: Certified strength and conditioning specialist. 1263 01:06:00,241 --> 01:06:03,002 Becs Gentry: Oh, I should know that. I don't (inaudible) that. 1264 01:06:04,410 --> 01:06:05,821 Rob: You've probably seen one or two in your time, recently especially. 1265 01:06:05,821 --> 01:06:10,861 Becs Gentry: I have English version. PECE? 1266 01:06:10,861 --> 01:06:13,440 Pam Geisel: So that is my perinatal corrective exercise specialist. 1267 01:06:13,440 --> 01:06:15,390 Becs Gentry: Oh, okay. Okay, cool. And I know the other one, 1268 01:06:15,390 --> 01:06:19,380 Becs Gentry: RSC. I do have that one. Okay, so you're a 1269 01:06:19,380 --> 01:06:20,130 Becs Gentry: runner yourself? 1270 01:06:20,160 --> 01:06:20,490 Pam Geisel: Yes. 1271 01:06:20,520 --> 01:06:21,900 Becs Gentry: Okay. Any upcoming races? 1272 01:06:21,900 --> 01:06:24,240 Pam Geisel: So it depends which one I can get into. 1273 01:06:24,960 --> 01:06:25,410 Becs Gentry: Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. 1274 01:06:26,400 --> 01:06:28,080 Rob: You've got to know somebody, Pam. I don't know what 1275 01:06:28,080 --> 01:06:28,411 Rob: to tell you. 1276 01:06:28,410 --> 01:06:31,500 Pam Geisel: But I am training for my first race postpartum, which 1277 01:06:31,500 --> 01:06:35,400 Pam Geisel: is a really exciting adventure that... I've always worked with 1278 01:06:35,610 --> 01:06:39,360 Pam Geisel: postpartum moms and pregnant moms, but being one myself brings 1279 01:06:39,360 --> 01:06:43,740 Pam Geisel: a whole level of appreciation. So I'm really excited to 1280 01:06:43,740 --> 01:06:45,630 Pam Geisel: get back out there and cross the finish line. 1281 01:06:45,780 --> 01:06:47,130 Becs Gentry: How many months postpartum are you? 1282 01:06:47,130 --> 01:06:48,960 Pam Geisel: So he turned a year. 1283 01:06:50,040 --> 01:06:50,100 Becs Gentry: Yay. 1284 01:06:50,130 --> 01:06:52,980 Pam Geisel: So that was the moment where I was like, " Okay, it's 1285 01:06:52,980 --> 01:06:55,290 Pam Geisel: time for me to lease up and get back out 1286 01:06:55,290 --> 01:06:56,040 Pam Geisel: there." And I'm really excited. 1287 01:06:56,040 --> 01:06:57,690 Becs Gentry: Are you looking at a a mile? A marathon? 1288 01:06:58,200 --> 01:07:00,000 Pam Geisel: One of those spring races. 1289 01:07:00,060 --> 01:07:00,271 Becs Gentry: One of the spring ones. 1290 01:07:00,271 --> 01:07:03,660 Pam Geisel: One of the 10K's is one of mine. Yeah. I'm working the mini so it won't be 1291 01:07:03,660 --> 01:07:05,880 Pam Geisel: the mini, but one of the others. I'm excited. 1292 01:07:05,910 --> 01:07:12,900 Rob: How many mom runners do we have out there today? We got a lot. Okay. We got a lot of moms who are out there running. 1293 01:07:12,900 --> 01:07:13,021 Becs Gentry: We try. We try. 1294 01:07:13,021 --> 01:07:18,090 Rob: Pam, what are the challenges? You're going through it now 1295 01:07:18,090 --> 01:07:20,160 Rob: yourself as a runner, and I'm sure you see a 1296 01:07:20,160 --> 01:07:23,490 Rob: lot of it in your job that are specific to 1297 01:07:24,060 --> 01:07:25,919 Rob: new moms who are out there trying to get back 1298 01:07:25,920 --> 01:07:26,340 Rob: into running. 1299 01:07:27,750 --> 01:07:30,780 Pam Geisel: It's true for everyone, but time. Because my priorities have 1300 01:07:30,780 --> 01:07:33,930 Pam Geisel: just changed so much. I've always been so driven. I'm 1301 01:07:33,930 --> 01:07:37,110 Pam Geisel: type A, I'm a Virgo. I've still been driven by work, has 1302 01:07:37,170 --> 01:07:40,080 Pam Geisel: always been my identity. So I put a lot of time 1303 01:07:40,080 --> 01:07:43,410 Pam Geisel: and effort into my job, and suddenly there's this little 1304 01:07:43,410 --> 01:07:46,650 Pam Geisel: one that needs me for survival. And he's taught me 1305 01:07:46,650 --> 01:07:50,730 Pam Geisel: so much, from being patient, giving myself grace. They always 1306 01:07:50,730 --> 01:07:53,220 Pam Geisel: say as a mom you think that you're there to 1307 01:07:53,220 --> 01:07:56,340 Pam Geisel: teach them, but he's taught me so much more than I've taught 1308 01:07:56,340 --> 01:07:59,040 Pam Geisel: him. So time is definitely a big one. And just 1309 01:07:59,220 --> 01:08:04,050 Pam Geisel: the coming back. Obviously, I have I guess an edge 1310 01:08:04,050 --> 01:08:07,950 Pam Geisel: in terms of the exercise component, but really kind of 1311 01:08:07,950 --> 01:08:11,760 Pam Geisel: the... It's like two steps forward, one steps back, something springs up. 1312 01:08:14,160 --> 01:08:17,729 Pam Geisel: So, I have so much gratitude my body and getting back out there 1313 01:08:17,729 --> 01:08:19,830 Pam Geisel: and doing what I love. 1314 01:08:20,130 --> 01:08:24,330 Becs Gentry: Oh, I'm so happy that you're back as well, back in a new form of who 1315 01:08:24,330 --> 01:08:26,938 Becs Gentry: you are. Okay, so for a lot of our runners, 1316 01:08:26,939 --> 01:08:29,970 Becs Gentry: not just postpartum moms, a lot of them ran half- 1317 01:08:29,970 --> 01:08:33,479 Becs Gentry: marathon yesterday and we have a very big half- marathon coming 1318 01:08:33,479 --> 01:08:37,080 Becs Gentry: up in March. So have you got any tips for pre- 1319 01:08:37,080 --> 01:08:39,630 Becs Gentry: race and post- race to give to our runners? 1320 01:08:39,990 --> 01:08:42,630 Pam Geisel: Yeah, so when we think about recovery, and this is 1321 01:08:42,630 --> 01:08:45,240 Pam Geisel: such a lame answer, but it's so true, we forget 1322 01:08:45,240 --> 01:08:48,750 Pam Geisel: the basics so much. The recovery industry is large, it's 1323 01:08:48,750 --> 01:08:52,140 Pam Geisel: booming, it's very profitable. So you have cold plunges and 1324 01:08:52,140 --> 01:08:56,370 Pam Geisel: infrared saunas and boots, and there's so much out there, 1325 01:08:56,370 --> 01:08:58,680 Pam Geisel: but we forget about the basics. So you need to 1326 01:08:59,160 --> 01:09:01,830 Pam Geisel: eat a well- balanced diet, you need to drink water, 1327 01:09:01,830 --> 01:09:05,010 Pam Geisel: and you need to get sleep. Leading up to the 1328 01:09:05,010 --> 01:09:09,090 Pam Geisel: race, but definitely post- race, those three things is what's 1329 01:09:09,090 --> 01:09:10,920 Pam Geisel: going to help you recover and get back out on 1330 01:09:10,920 --> 01:09:13,229 Pam Geisel: the road safely. So whatever you do, you can do 1331 01:09:13,229 --> 01:09:16,950 Pam Geisel: the fun things. I can get into the research, but 1332 01:09:16,950 --> 01:09:20,610 Pam Geisel: I will say tried and true, don't forget your ABCs 1333 01:09:20,610 --> 01:09:24,930 Pam Geisel: of recovery. And my tagline typically is that recovery starts 1334 01:09:24,930 --> 01:09:28,410 Pam Geisel: the moment you start training. So, adhering to a smart 1335 01:09:28,410 --> 01:09:33,150 Pam Geisel: training plan, making sure you're increasing your mileage appropriately, taking 1336 01:09:33,150 --> 01:09:36,809 Pam Geisel: rest days, doing your strength training, all of those things 1337 01:09:36,990 --> 01:09:39,870 Pam Geisel: allow you to have a better recovery. And we often 1338 01:09:39,870 --> 01:09:41,760 Pam Geisel: don't think about, we think about, " Oh, I crossed the finish line, 1339 01:09:41,760 --> 01:09:44,670 Pam Geisel: now it's time to recover." No, going into it well- 1340 01:09:44,670 --> 01:09:47,759 Pam Geisel: trained is going to really set you up for a nice 1341 01:09:48,090 --> 01:09:50,040 Pam Geisel: easy recovery and get you back out there. 1342 01:09:50,340 --> 01:09:50,580 Becs Gentry: Yeah, I love that. 1343 01:09:51,780 --> 01:09:57,060 Rob: I am running a lot right now because I may 1344 01:09:57,270 --> 01:10:01,320 Rob: run a marathon this spring. We'll see about that. I 1345 01:10:01,320 --> 01:10:06,210 Rob: ran Berlin Marathon last September, and I've never run two 1346 01:10:06,210 --> 01:10:12,330 Rob: marathons closer than 10 years. Seriously. I ran one in 1347 01:10:12,360 --> 01:10:16,380 Rob: '97, one in 2013, and one last year. That's my 1348 01:10:16,380 --> 01:10:20,070 Rob: marathon history. And now, six months later, I'm perhaps going 1349 01:10:20,070 --> 01:10:21,930 Rob: to run another one. And I can really feel a 1350 01:10:21,930 --> 01:10:26,250 Rob: difference in how the training is going now because I 1351 01:10:26,250 --> 01:10:29,850 Rob: feel like I still have some of that fitness left 1352 01:10:29,850 --> 01:10:33,960 Rob: from running Berlin. How long does fitness last in your 1353 01:10:33,960 --> 01:10:37,950 Rob: body? How long can you kind of bank on that last race? 1354 01:10:37,950 --> 01:10:40,140 Pam Geisel: So this is actually a very important concept, and I 1355 01:10:40,140 --> 01:10:43,470 Pam Geisel: always use this 'cause I'm a run coach, with my runners. If they 1356 01:10:43,470 --> 01:10:45,780 Pam Geisel: might not have the run they planned, something comes up, 1357 01:10:45,960 --> 01:10:50,188 Pam Geisel: but it's like you're laying the foundation. So every race 1358 01:10:50,189 --> 01:10:52,979 Pam Geisel: you do, every training run you do, it's just laying 1359 01:10:52,979 --> 01:10:56,070 Pam Geisel: another level. So, just because you go out there and 1360 01:10:56,070 --> 01:10:58,049 Pam Geisel: you might have a race that you don't hit your 1361 01:10:58,050 --> 01:11:00,600 Pam Geisel: PR, you maybe you don't hit your A plan, your B 1362 01:11:00,600 --> 01:11:03,840 Pam Geisel: plan, you still take benefits from that into your next 1363 01:11:03,840 --> 01:11:06,570 Pam Geisel: race. Whether it's a little bit of resiliency, maybe it's 1364 01:11:06,570 --> 01:11:09,390 Pam Geisel: a little mental fortitude, maybe it's a little bit of 1365 01:11:09,390 --> 01:11:13,830 Pam Geisel: strength, but each training cycle just layers top of each 1366 01:11:13,830 --> 01:11:17,460 Pam Geisel: other. So, every single one matters, and you are reaping 1367 01:11:17,460 --> 01:11:20,280 Pam Geisel: the benefits of those races that you've done before and 1368 01:11:20,280 --> 01:11:21,900 Pam Geisel: it is going to serve you, so I'm excited to 1369 01:11:21,900 --> 01:11:22,439 Pam Geisel: cheer you on. 1370 01:11:22,439 --> 01:11:26,850 Rob: That means you're basically fit for the next 10 years of 1371 01:11:26,850 --> 01:11:33,900 Rob: your life. You are good to go,, run a marathon, fall out of bed pretty much anytime this year. 1372 01:11:33,929 --> 01:11:34,679 Becs Gentry: Okay, I'll take that. 1373 01:11:34,710 --> 01:11:37,229 Pam Geisel: I think you have that mental fortitude for the rest of 1374 01:11:37,229 --> 01:11:37,680 Pam Geisel: your life. 1375 01:11:37,680 --> 01:11:41,070 Becs Gentry: Yeah, definitely have the mental fortitude. Physical, not too sure 1376 01:11:41,070 --> 01:11:44,820 Becs Gentry: right now. Okay. So, the theme of recovery, as you 1377 01:11:44,820 --> 01:11:48,990 Becs Gentry: say, it's a booming industry. It's very, very popular. I actually 1378 01:11:48,990 --> 01:11:52,170 Becs Gentry: just this morning was reading a whole article about VO2 1379 01:11:52,170 --> 01:11:57,120 Becs Gentry: max digression after one week off, after two weeks off, 1380 01:11:57,120 --> 01:11:59,580 Becs Gentry: after two months off. And it's actually a lot smaller 1381 01:11:59,580 --> 01:12:02,640 Becs Gentry: than you think. And we always all say, I wish it 1382 01:12:02,640 --> 01:12:06,150 Becs Gentry: was as quick to get, quote, unquote, " Fit as it 1383 01:12:06,150 --> 01:12:08,910 Becs Gentry: is to lose fitness." But actually, we're seeing now if 1384 01:12:08,910 --> 01:12:11,880 Becs Gentry: you do it right, it's not like this massive drop- 1385 01:12:11,880 --> 01:12:17,309 Becs Gentry: off. And people use the United Airlines Half a lot 1386 01:12:17,310 --> 01:12:20,728 Becs Gentry: for their training for the upcoming Abbot World Marathon Majors, 1387 01:12:20,729 --> 01:12:23,700 Becs Gentry: Boston and London. So what are things people can be 1388 01:12:23,700 --> 01:12:27,180 Becs Gentry: doing to incorporate into their training to keep them really 1389 01:12:27,180 --> 01:12:29,160 Becs Gentry: strong if they are going to be running the United 1390 01:12:29,160 --> 01:12:33,030 Becs Gentry: Airlines Half in March, and then Boston, and/ or? A 1391 01:12:33,030 --> 01:12:36,360 Becs Gentry: lot of people do both. Crazy. I can't say that 1392 01:12:36,360 --> 01:12:37,019 Becs Gentry: anymore. Damn. 1393 01:12:39,900 --> 01:12:39,901 Pam Geisel: You actually can't. 1394 01:12:39,901 --> 01:12:41,729 Becs Gentry: I actually can't. I've said that every year for the past 15 1395 01:12:41,729 --> 01:12:43,860 Becs Gentry: years of my life and I can't now. So what 1396 01:12:43,860 --> 01:12:46,410 Becs Gentry: can people do to make sure that they are really, 1397 01:12:46,410 --> 01:12:49,500 Becs Gentry: really buffering out their training for these races? 1398 01:12:49,560 --> 01:12:53,340 Pam Geisel: Yeah, so a key to success are rest days and 1399 01:12:53,340 --> 01:12:56,580 Pam Geisel: recovery days. So, a lot to your point, we don't 1400 01:12:56,580 --> 01:12:59,220 Pam Geisel: lose fitness necessarily as some of us think, but if 1401 01:12:59,220 --> 01:13:01,740 Pam Geisel: we have an off week, our dog gets sick, our 1402 01:13:01,740 --> 01:13:04,110 Pam Geisel: kid gets sick, we're on a trip, we try to 1403 01:13:04,110 --> 01:13:06,540 Pam Geisel: make up for it the following week. And that is 1404 01:13:06,540 --> 01:13:10,019 Pam Geisel: actually way more detrimental to our training programs than if 1405 01:13:10,020 --> 01:13:13,080 Pam Geisel: you actually just adjust and pivot and take a little 1406 01:13:13,080 --> 01:13:17,790 Pam Geisel: step back and actually think about, we think about it 1407 01:13:17,790 --> 01:13:20,010 Pam Geisel: on a four- week basis, a single week basis, a 1408 01:13:20,010 --> 01:13:24,030 Pam Geisel: day basis, just really allowing life to happen, because it's 1409 01:13:24,030 --> 01:13:26,910 Pam Geisel: going to happen. So just appreciating that and not trying 1410 01:13:26,910 --> 01:13:30,210 Pam Geisel: to over correct or make up, 'cause it doesn't work 1411 01:13:30,210 --> 01:13:34,110 Pam Geisel: that way. So I think that's a really important thing. As a 1412 01:13:34,110 --> 01:13:38,070 Pam Geisel: strength coach, I do believe that strength training is really 1413 01:13:38,070 --> 01:13:41,340 Pam Geisel: important, and so just making sure that you're squeezing that 1414 01:13:41,340 --> 01:13:44,040 Pam Geisel: in. I know time is so limited, so maybe you 1415 01:13:44,040 --> 01:13:46,470 Pam Geisel: just stop your run a few minutes early and do 1416 01:13:46,470 --> 01:13:50,219 Pam Geisel: five minutes of strength training. Just really building that in 1417 01:13:50,219 --> 01:13:52,979 Pam Geisel: to make sure that you are a resilient runner. 1418 01:13:53,790 --> 01:13:55,979 Rob: All right, we're almost out of time. I have to 1419 01:13:55,979 --> 01:14:00,180 Rob: ask you one more question, and this is maybe an opportunity for me to 1420 01:14:00,180 --> 01:14:05,430 Rob: stop torturing myself by getting in ice baths after long 1421 01:14:05,430 --> 01:14:09,719 Rob: training runs. I take ice baths. I learned this years 1422 01:14:09,720 --> 01:14:12,390 Rob: ago. I felt it was making an incredible difference for 1423 01:14:12,390 --> 01:14:16,500 Rob: my recovery. It's just so painful, Pam. It's so painful. 1424 01:14:17,520 --> 01:14:18,960 Becs Gentry: Wait, do you cold plunge or do you actually put ice cubes in your bath? 1425 01:14:18,960 --> 01:14:23,070 Rob: Put ice cubes in my bathtub and I get in there, and I stay there 1426 01:14:23,070 --> 01:14:25,560 Rob: for like 5, 10 minutes. I do feel incredible after. 1427 01:14:25,560 --> 01:14:27,901 Rob: Am I doing myself any good or just torturing myself? 1428 01:14:27,901 --> 01:14:30,330 Pam Geisel: So it's funny, when I was on my way here, 1429 01:14:30,360 --> 01:14:32,910 Pam Geisel: 'cause anytime I do speaking engagement, I always go to 1430 01:14:33,330 --> 01:14:35,460 Pam Geisel: Google Scholar and I look at what the most recent 1431 01:14:35,460 --> 01:14:39,360 Pam Geisel: research is. It's not a popular answer, but I'm still 1432 01:14:39,360 --> 01:14:43,740 Pam Geisel: not sold on cold water immersion for this purpose. It's 1433 01:14:43,740 --> 01:14:47,790 Pam Geisel: great if you have two really intense, about two bouts 1434 01:14:47,790 --> 01:14:50,520 Pam Geisel: of exercise really close together and you're just trying to 1435 01:14:51,360 --> 01:14:53,550 Pam Geisel: do anything you can to get back out there, but 1436 01:14:53,550 --> 01:14:56,790 Pam Geisel: when you're thinking about a long training program, I don't 1437 01:14:56,790 --> 01:14:59,729 Pam Geisel: know if the research is in your favor. But that is from 1438 01:14:59,729 --> 01:15:03,450 Pam Geisel: a physiological aspect. I do think there has been some 1439 01:15:03,450 --> 01:15:06,660 Pam Geisel: research in terms of combining breath work with cold water 1440 01:15:06,660 --> 01:15:10,830 Pam Geisel: immersion and having those kind of benefits, but from a 1441 01:15:10,830 --> 01:15:13,020 Pam Geisel: physiological muscular recovery- 1442 01:15:13,680 --> 01:15:15,990 Rob: You don't understand, Pam. That's the answer I was looking 1443 01:15:15,990 --> 01:15:19,440 Rob: for. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you so much. 1444 01:15:19,440 --> 01:15:23,100 Pam Geisel: There's going to be people coming for me now, but I stand by 1445 01:15:23,100 --> 01:15:23,730 Pam Geisel: it. I stand by it 100%. 1446 01:15:23,730 --> 01:15:24,391 Rob: All right, well- 1447 01:15:24,960 --> 01:15:26,910 Pam Geisel: What are your thoughts? Wait, I want to know what Becs' 1448 01:15:26,910 --> 01:15:27,090 Pam Geisel: thoughts are. 1449 01:15:27,090 --> 01:15:27,660 Becs Gentry: On cold plunge? 1450 01:15:27,689 --> 01:15:28,110 Pam Geisel: Yeah. 1451 01:15:28,710 --> 01:15:34,620 Becs Gentry: I'm a wimp. I'm an absolute wimp. I wish I could say 1452 01:15:34,620 --> 01:15:36,090 Becs Gentry: I put my head under. I never put my head 1453 01:15:36,090 --> 01:15:37,650 Becs Gentry: under. I'm convinced I'm going to die if I do 1454 01:15:37,650 --> 01:15:43,380 Becs Gentry: that, but I like the contrast therapy. I'm a big, 1455 01:15:43,380 --> 01:15:45,240 Becs Gentry: big fan of it. I'm not bougie. I do not 1456 01:15:45,240 --> 01:15:48,240 Becs Gentry: have one. I live in Brooklyn. I have neither. I 1457 01:15:48,240 --> 01:15:50,370 Becs Gentry: go outside, I come in my house. That's contrast therapy 1458 01:15:50,370 --> 01:15:51,360 Becs Gentry: right now. That's enough. 1459 01:15:51,360 --> 01:15:51,870 Pam Geisel: It is. 1460 01:15:52,200 --> 01:15:55,620 Becs Gentry: But I think a lot of it is mental fortitude 1461 01:15:55,620 --> 01:15:58,560 Becs Gentry: though as well. I see people building their time up 1462 01:15:58,560 --> 01:16:00,479 Becs Gentry: in these things, and I think you know what? If 1463 01:16:00,479 --> 01:16:04,080 Becs Gentry: that is helping you mentally to do the training process 1464 01:16:04,080 --> 01:16:06,060 Becs Gentry: of building up your long runs whilst you're building up 1465 01:16:06,060 --> 01:16:09,090 Becs Gentry: your time in cold plunge, fantastic. If it is psychosomatic, 1466 01:16:09,090 --> 01:16:12,240 Becs Gentry: cool. As long as it's not doing harm, I'm down 1467 01:16:12,240 --> 01:16:12,479 Becs Gentry: for it. 1468 01:16:12,510 --> 01:16:14,728 Pam Geisel: I'll say one more thing about any sort of recovery 1469 01:16:14,729 --> 01:16:17,729 Pam Geisel: modality, and it's pretty much exactly to that. In terms 1470 01:16:17,729 --> 01:16:21,510 Pam Geisel: of when you look at the research, there's subjective improvements 1471 01:16:21,510 --> 01:16:24,599 Pam Geisel: and then there's objective physiological improvements. And there's so many 1472 01:16:24,600 --> 01:16:27,150 Pam Geisel: things, when they do one thing to the right leg and 1473 01:16:27,240 --> 01:16:30,630 Pam Geisel: one to the left leg . in terms of the physiological, 1474 01:16:30,630 --> 01:16:34,590 Pam Geisel: objective outcomes, there's oftentimes not a difference. But across the 1475 01:16:34,590 --> 01:16:37,830 Pam Geisel: board, they're subjective. And just because we might not know 1476 01:16:37,830 --> 01:16:40,979 Pam Geisel: what those benefits are yet, it doesn't mean that there's 1477 01:16:40,979 --> 01:16:44,939 Pam Geisel: not benefits to that. And so much of running and 1478 01:16:44,939 --> 01:16:48,660 Pam Geisel: life is about how we feel, so yes, if you 1479 01:16:48,660 --> 01:16:53,490 Pam Geisel: enjoy a recovery modality and it's not harmful, get after it. 1480 01:16:55,380 --> 01:16:55,621 Becs Gentry: There we go. There we go. 1481 01:16:55,621 --> 01:16:57,780 Pam Geisel: But you don't enjoy it, so you're off the hook. 1482 01:16:58,140 --> 01:16:58,860 Becs Gentry: Get a sauna. 1483 01:17:00,060 --> 01:17:02,640 Rob: I just want to say thank you. Thank you for 1484 01:17:02,640 --> 01:17:05,700 Rob: coming on the podcast. Thank you for saving my ice 1485 01:17:05,700 --> 01:17:08,160 Rob: budget. Now I no longer have to go to the 1486 01:17:08,160 --> 01:17:10,770 Rob: store and buy bags of ice, it's going to be 1487 01:17:10,770 --> 01:17:13,559 Rob: much more pleasant training. But seriously, you guys at HSS, 1488 01:17:13,560 --> 01:17:13,771 Rob: you're great. 1489 01:17:13,771 --> 01:17:14,221 Becs Gentry: Amazing. 1490 01:17:14,790 --> 01:17:17,280 Rob: You're at so many of our races. So, people out 1491 01:17:17,280 --> 01:17:21,809 Rob: there running our half- marathon, there's a recovery area sponsored 1492 01:17:21,810 --> 01:17:25,740 Rob: by HSS at the United Airlines NYC Half, so many of 1493 01:17:25,740 --> 01:17:29,251 Rob: our other races, so look out for HSS. Thank you, HSS. 1494 01:17:29,251 --> 01:17:29,252 Becs Gentry: Thank you. 1495 01:17:29,252 --> 01:17:29,253 Pam Geisel: Thank you for having me. 1496 01:17:29,253 --> 01:17:32,580 Rob: Great to have you here on Set the Pace, appreciate it. 1497 01:17:33,720 --> 01:17:38,490 Pam Geisel: Thank you. 1498 01:17:38,550 --> 01:17:42,240 Rob: All right. Becs, that does it for an action- packed 1499 01:17:42,240 --> 01:17:43,680 Rob: episode of Set the Pace- 1500 01:17:43,680 --> 01:17:44,341 Becs Gentry: Can we have else come and chat? 1501 01:17:44,341 --> 01:17:47,160 Rob: ... with this incredible audience. I just want to thank 1502 01:17:47,160 --> 01:17:50,640 Rob: all of you for being here, joining us, inspiring us, 1503 01:17:50,640 --> 01:17:52,590 Rob: getting us fired up for the show. By the way, 1504 01:17:52,590 --> 01:17:54,270 Rob: thanks for listening. We hope all of you listen to 1505 01:17:54,270 --> 01:17:58,740 Rob: the podcast. If you haven't already, make sure you rate 1506 01:17:58,740 --> 01:18:01,350 Rob: it five stars, of course. If you can on the 1507 01:18:01,350 --> 01:18:05,040 Rob: whatever platform you listen to, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, leave a 1508 01:18:05,040 --> 01:18:09,060 Rob: review. Those reviews really help people find the podcast. You 1509 01:18:09,060 --> 01:18:12,151 Rob: can even throw questions to me and to Becs in there- 1510 01:18:12,151 --> 01:18:12,152 Becs Gentry: Yep, please do. 1511 01:18:12,152 --> 01:18:15,330 Rob: ... and we will answer your questions on the podcast. This has 1512 01:18:15,330 --> 01:18:15,990 Rob: been so much fun. 1513 01:18:15,990 --> 01:18:17,550 Becs Gentry: It's been so nice. It's so nice to see the 1514 01:18:17,550 --> 01:18:20,400 Becs Gentry: running community in real life, to see the people that 1515 01:18:20,670 --> 01:18:23,460 Becs Gentry: make up the New York Road Runners community right here. 1516 01:18:24,240 --> 01:18:28,019 Becs Gentry: So yeah, keep running, keep moving, keep moving forward. If 1517 01:18:28,019 --> 01:18:30,870 Becs Gentry: you know me, you know forward is a pace, so keep going. 1518 01:18:30,870 --> 01:18:33,090 Rob: I'm getting excited for the Manhattan 10K this weekend. I'm 1519 01:18:33,090 --> 01:18:33,930 Rob: going to run that. 1520 01:18:33,990 --> 01:18:34,200 Becs Gentry: You are? 1521 01:18:34,890 --> 01:18:36,479 Rob: Yeah, I'm going to run. It's going to be great. 1522 01:18:36,479 --> 01:18:37,021 Becs Gentry: Is that your spring race? 1523 01:18:37,021 --> 01:18:39,390 Rob: No, that's just a step on the way. 1524 01:18:39,390 --> 01:18:39,391 Becs Gentry: I'm just nudging you. 1525 01:18:39,391 --> 01:18:43,530 Rob: We'll talk about it very soon. I'm going to see what I can do. Thanks 1526 01:18:43,979 --> 01:18:46,290 Rob: for being members of New York Road Runners. Most importantly, 1527 01:18:46,470 --> 01:18:49,200 Rob: thanks to our host here at the Hard Rock Cafe 1528 01:18:49,620 --> 01:18:50,820 Rob: in Times Square. 1529 01:18:50,820 --> 01:18:50,880 Becs Gentry: Yay. 1530 01:18:50,880 --> 01:18:56,160 Rob: Thanks to our team, Kathryn Jones, Matthew Singer, the whole team 1531 01:18:56,160 --> 01:18:58,740 Rob: for getting us together. We'll see you next week on 1532 01:18:58,740 --> 01:19:01,170 Rob: Set the Pace, enjoy the miles. Thank you very much.