1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:03,660 Grant Fisher: I want to try the roads when I am at 2 00:00:03,660 --> 00:00:05,970 Grant Fisher: my prime. I want to do it to really see how good 3 00:00:05,970 --> 00:00:08,940 Grant Fisher: I can be. And there's a little bit of risk 4 00:00:08,940 --> 00:00:12,090 Grant Fisher: in that, and I want to give myself a real shot, a real test. 5 00:00:12,090 --> 00:00:14,820 Grant Fisher: And I think looking back in 30 years, I'll be happy 6 00:00:14,820 --> 00:00:16,738 Grant Fisher: that, hey, I found out how good I could be. 7 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:25,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey, everybody, and welcome to Set the Pace, the official 8 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:29,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: podcast of New York Road Runners presented by Peloton. I'm 9 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:32,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Road 10 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:35,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners here in my home in Connecticut. You can see 11 00:00:35,970 --> 00:00:38,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: the wintry background behind me. This is not my usual 12 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: spot for recording, but I'm up here today. And this 13 00:00:42,810 --> 00:00:45,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: is just what we're all experiencing right now in the 14 00:00:45,420 --> 00:00:49,019 Rob Simmelkjaer: Northeast in New York is winter, a kind of winter 15 00:00:49,020 --> 00:00:51,479 Rob Simmelkjaer: that we have not had in a long time. I 16 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: heard a stat someone shared with me the other day. 17 00:00:54,750 --> 00:00:59,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm recording this on Tuesday, February 3rd. And as of now, 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: there hasn't been a high temperature above freezing in New 19 00:01:03,150 --> 00:01:07,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: York for, I think, 11 or 12 days. And that hasn't happened 20 00:01:07,050 --> 00:01:11,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: since 1958, according to the article I read, which is 21 00:01:11,370 --> 00:01:14,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: crazy. And if you look ahead for the next few 22 00:01:14,580 --> 00:01:16,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: days, it still does not look like it's going to 23 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: go above freezing anytime soon. And that's rough. That is 24 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: rough for the runners. It has been rough for us 25 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: at New York Road Runners. All of you know if you're 26 00:01:25,890 --> 00:01:28,589 Rob Simmelkjaer: in the New York area and sign up to run 27 00:01:28,590 --> 00:01:32,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: races, we have had to cancel races for two straight 28 00:01:32,370 --> 00:01:36,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: weeks. We canceled the Fred LeBeau Half because of the 29 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: snowstorm we had. And then unfortunately, we had to cancel 30 00:01:39,420 --> 00:01:43,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Manhattan 10K last Sunday as well, just because of 31 00:01:43,140 --> 00:01:48,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: the extreme cold temperatures. At race time, the windshield was 32 00:01:48,630 --> 00:01:52,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: about 10 below. And while runners can probably pull that 33 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: off, we know that we can run if we've got 34 00:01:54,870 --> 00:01:59,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: all the right gear in some pretty cold temperatures. It's 35 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:04,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: not so doable for our staff, for our volunteers. People 36 00:02:04,410 --> 00:02:07,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: don't know. Our staff gets out to start setting up 37 00:02:07,500 --> 00:02:11,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: for these races at about 1: 00 or 2:00 in the morning. They're 38 00:02:11,010 --> 00:02:14,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: setting up tents, they're setting up water stations, all the 39 00:02:14,550 --> 00:02:17,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: infrastructure at our start and our finish lines. It's a 40 00:02:17,550 --> 00:02:20,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: very early morning wake up call for our staff. And 41 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:22,919 Rob Simmelkjaer: unfortunately, that's a big part of what we have to 42 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,430 Rob Simmelkjaer: take into account when we make these decisions about weather 43 00:02:26,430 --> 00:02:29,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: is not just can the runners handle it, but can 44 00:02:29,070 --> 00:02:31,859 Rob Simmelkjaer: our staff handle it? Can our volunteers who are not 45 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:37,649 Rob Simmelkjaer: running? They're standing around. They're manning water stations and various 46 00:02:37,650 --> 00:02:40,139 Rob Simmelkjaer: spots along the course, and they can be out there 47 00:02:40,139 --> 00:02:42,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: for many, many hours as well. So, unfortunately, had to 48 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:47,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: make that call. We've got the Gridiron 4- Miler with 49 00:02:47,070 --> 00:02:50,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: FLAG Art as our partner coming up this Sunday, the 50 00:02:50,580 --> 00:02:53,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: day of the big game, as they say. And we're 51 00:02:53,910 --> 00:02:56,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: still waiting to see how that goes as I record 52 00:02:56,700 --> 00:02:59,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: this on Tuesday. So, no call to be made yet. 53 00:02:59,730 --> 00:03:02,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: But if you look at the weather forecast, it looks 54 00:03:02,370 --> 00:03:06,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: like more extreme cold here in New York. So, we 55 00:03:06,060 --> 00:03:08,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: need a break. That's all I can say. And hopefully, 56 00:03:08,310 --> 00:03:12,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: we get one pretty soon from this weather. Well, this 57 00:03:12,780 --> 00:03:16,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: is a very special week here at New York Road 58 00:03:16,050 --> 00:03:19,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners. As I record this episode on Tuesday, we are 59 00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:24,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: announcing the official kickoff of our yearlong celebration of the 60 00:03:24,389 --> 00:03:28,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough New York City Marathon. 61 00:03:28,710 --> 00:03:31,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: And why are we making a big deal of this? 62 00:03:31,410 --> 00:03:34,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: There was, many of you know, a 50th anniversary of 63 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: the marathon back in 2021, and this is the 50th anniversary of 64 00:03:39,420 --> 00:03:42,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Five- Borough Marathon. The first time that they ran 65 00:03:42,630 --> 00:03:46,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: from Staten Island to Central Park was back in 1976. And 66 00:03:47,190 --> 00:03:48,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: we're making a big deal of this for a couple 67 00:03:48,660 --> 00:03:53,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: of reasons. First of all, this really is the marathon. 68 00:03:53,190 --> 00:03:56,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: When you think about what makes the TCS New York City 69 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: Marathon the best day of the year in New York, 70 00:03:58,860 --> 00:04:02,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: why people love it, why it occupies such a special 71 00:04:02,340 --> 00:04:05,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: place in New York? It's because of the fact that 72 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: it runs through the neighborhoods of all five boroughs of this 73 00:04:09,270 --> 00:04:11,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: city and that it gives people, whether they're from New 74 00:04:11,910 --> 00:04:15,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: York or from anywhere around the world, this incredible tour 75 00:04:15,930 --> 00:04:19,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: of our city and this incredible connection with all New 76 00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:23,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yorkers, two million plus, who come out to watch this 77 00:04:23,010 --> 00:04:26,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: race. That is the New York City Marathon, and that 78 00:04:26,130 --> 00:04:29,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: is really an anniversary that is worth celebrating. Also, facts 79 00:04:29,940 --> 00:04:33,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: are, back in 2021, the abbreviation was cut short for 80 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners because of COVID. That race was 81 00:04:35,580 --> 00:04:38,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: only half of its normal size. So, we're really excited 82 00:04:39,420 --> 00:04:42,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: to make a big, big deal of this anniversary this 83 00:04:42,810 --> 00:04:47,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: year. Applications for the drawing for this year's marathon opened 84 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:50,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: at noon Eastern time on Wednesday, February 4th. They stay 85 00:04:50,370 --> 00:04:54,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: open through February 25th, so you've got plenty of time 86 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: to apply for that. And a very big thing that 87 00:04:57,330 --> 00:05:01,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: we're excited about for this year's marathon, we are celebrating 88 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:06,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: this milestone by looking to reach another milestone, and that 89 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:11,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: is hitting $ 100 million raised for charities here in New 90 00:05:11,250 --> 00:05:14,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: York City and all around the world this year in 91 00:05:14,460 --> 00:05:17,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: the marathon. That would be an all- time record for 92 00:05:17,550 --> 00:05:22,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: the New York City Marathon. We will have 670 official 93 00:05:22,170 --> 00:05:27,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: charity partners in 2026. In '25, those partners raised about $ 94 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: 80 million. So, we're looking for a big 25% increase 95 00:05:32,430 --> 00:05:35,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: in our charity fundraising to hit that $ 100 million mark 96 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:38,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: for the first time ever. We're really excited about that. 97 00:05:38,190 --> 00:05:41,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: And by the way, it's not just for people who 98 00:05:41,460 --> 00:05:44,909 Rob Simmelkjaer: get into the marathon through a charity. Even if you 99 00:05:44,910 --> 00:05:48,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: get in some other way through Nine Plus One or 100 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: maybe you're a time qualifier, you can still raise money 101 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,229 Rob Simmelkjaer: for a charity and be a part of helping New 102 00:05:55,230 --> 00:05:58,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: York Road Runners and our city hit that $ 100 million 103 00:05:59,220 --> 00:06:02,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: goal. You'll learn more about that as we get through 104 00:06:02,580 --> 00:06:06,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: that registration period and the period for you to do 105 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,609 Rob Simmelkjaer: your guaranteed entry. So, there'll be more on that. But 106 00:06:08,610 --> 00:06:12,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: we want everybody to get involved in raising money for 107 00:06:12,210 --> 00:06:16,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: great causes all around New York and beyond. One of 108 00:06:16,470 --> 00:06:18,779 Rob Simmelkjaer: the causes, of course, that we're raising money for through 109 00:06:18,779 --> 00:06:21,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: the marathon is our own Team for Kids. Team for 110 00:06:21,630 --> 00:06:25,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: Kids has raised more than $ 136 million for our youth 111 00:06:25,980 --> 00:06:28,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: and community programs here at New York Road Runners since 112 00:06:28,230 --> 00:06:32,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: 2002, including more than 11 million in last year's marathon. 113 00:06:32,730 --> 00:06:34,859 Rob Simmelkjaer: We're looking to set a record there as well so 114 00:06:34,860 --> 00:06:38,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: we can do even more big things at Road Runners 115 00:06:38,370 --> 00:06:40,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: when it comes to getting youth and adults in our 116 00:06:40,950 --> 00:06:45,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: city and beyond moving and healthier and achieving all the 117 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: things that we try to achieve here and what we 118 00:06:47,550 --> 00:06:50,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: call our mission, creating healthier lives and stronger communities through 119 00:06:50,220 --> 00:06:52,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: the transformative power of running. So, that will be a 120 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: big deal this year. We're also going to have another 121 00:06:55,620 --> 00:06:59,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: year of our team for climate fundraising team. Last year, 122 00:06:59,970 --> 00:07:02,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: that team, which did an amazing job, they raised more 123 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:08,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: than $1.6 million, which completely offset the emissions for the New 124 00:07:08,910 --> 00:07:11,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: York City Marathon last year. And we're looking for more 125 00:07:11,580 --> 00:07:13,080 Rob Simmelkjaer: folks to come and be a part of Team for 126 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: Climate as we look to achieve our goal of reaching 127 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: net zero for the marathon and all of our operations here at New 128 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: York Road Runners. So, you'll see ways to sign up 129 00:07:22,980 --> 00:07:27,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: for that as well. And on the para- athletic side, 130 00:07:27,090 --> 00:07:30,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: qualifying athletes will have the ability to select from five 131 00:07:30,990 --> 00:07:36,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: additional para- athletics categories this year when applying for the 132 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:40,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: drawing. So, if you are an athlete with special needs, 133 00:07:40,110 --> 00:07:44,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: disabilities, take a look at those categories because we've got 134 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: a lot more specificity in terms of what you can 135 00:07:46,590 --> 00:07:50,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: sign up for and the assistance that New York Road 136 00:07:50,100 --> 00:07:53,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners and our partners can provide for you to get 137 00:07:53,250 --> 00:07:55,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: you moving as well. That's a big priority for us 138 00:07:55,860 --> 00:07:59,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. So, we 139 00:07:59,100 --> 00:08:02,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: are very, very excited about this year, and you'll be 140 00:08:02,340 --> 00:08:05,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: hearing a lot as the year goes on about how 141 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: we're going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Five- 142 00:08:07,770 --> 00:08:12,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: Borough New York City Marathon. Well, despite the weather in 143 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York, there was running this past weekend indoors at 144 00:08:15,630 --> 00:08:19,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Millrose Games uptown at the Armory. I was there 145 00:08:19,530 --> 00:08:22,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: along with a lot of our partners and friends at 146 00:08:22,260 --> 00:08:24,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners. We are a sponsor of the 147 00:08:24,450 --> 00:08:26,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: Millrose Games and the Wanamaker Mile, in fact. So, we 148 00:08:26,970 --> 00:08:29,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: were thrilled to be there. And it was a great 149 00:08:29,220 --> 00:08:31,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: day. I was there. I was there on the earlier 150 00:08:31,380 --> 00:08:34,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: side. We had a youth race that took place both 151 00:08:34,290 --> 00:08:37,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: on the boys' and the girls' sides, an 800- meter 152 00:08:37,020 --> 00:08:39,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: race that our rising New York Road Runners kids were 153 00:08:39,660 --> 00:08:41,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: a part of. It was awesome to get a chance 154 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: to hold the tape for those races. And I hung 155 00:08:43,770 --> 00:08:46,229 Rob Simmelkjaer: around for a lot of the day. But the end of 156 00:08:46,230 --> 00:08:48,720 Rob Simmelkjaer: the day is, of course, where all the excitement happens. 157 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: And we were thrilled to see a former guest and 158 00:08:52,110 --> 00:08:54,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: a friend of New York Road Runners, Nikki Hiltz come 159 00:08:54,690 --> 00:08:58,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: through with a win in the Wanamaker Mile for the very 160 00:08:58,020 --> 00:09:01,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: first time. Nikki wins it with a time of 4 minutes, 19 seconds 0. 161 00:09:01,890 --> 00:09:07,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: 64, a great, great milestone for them as they win 162 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: this iconic race. And it was really exciting to see Nikki 163 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,679 Rob Simmelkjaer: cross that finish line in first place. I know how 164 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: much it meant to them to get that win and what 165 00:09:16,980 --> 00:09:20,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: is really the premier indoor mile event, certainly in the 166 00:09:20,370 --> 00:09:23,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: United States, maybe in the world, so much history, a 167 00:09:23,910 --> 00:09:26,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: legendary event. Then on the men's side, it was a 168 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: big upset as our friend Yared Nuguse, who was a three- 169 00:09:30,330 --> 00:09:33,809 Rob Simmelkjaer: time winner, defending champion. You might remember, he set the 170 00:09:33,809 --> 00:09:37,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: indoor world record at Millrose last year, a record that 171 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:39,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: didn't stand for very long, only a few days before 172 00:09:39,570 --> 00:09:44,819 Rob Simmelkjaer: it was broken by Ingebrigtsen over in Europe. But it 173 00:09:44,820 --> 00:09:48,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: was 19- year- old Cam Myers coming up with a 174 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: big upset in that race to win it. He was 175 00:09:52,410 --> 00:09:57,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: the youngest Wanamaker Mile winner ever with a time of 3: 176 00:09:57,090 --> 00:10:02,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: 47.57, so a huge win for the Australian, Cam Myers, 177 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: and certainly was exciting to watch that happen as he 178 00:10:06,210 --> 00:10:09,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: surged across the finish line ahead of Yared Nuguse. And then 179 00:10:09,270 --> 00:10:12,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: on the men's 2- mile side, that was a much 180 00:10:12,179 --> 00:10:16,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: anticipated race this year because of course, Grant Fisher, who 181 00:10:16,740 --> 00:10:19,229 Rob Simmelkjaer: we'll talk about in a second, was featured in that 182 00:10:19,230 --> 00:10:23,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: race along with Olympic gold medalist, Cole Hocker. Well, it 183 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:25,949 Rob Simmelkjaer: was Hocker who won in that stacked field with a 184 00:10:25,950 --> 00:10:30,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: time of 8: 07. 31, big win for Cole Hocker 185 00:10:30,270 --> 00:10:33,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: who's gotten used to some big wins in his career. 186 00:10:33,030 --> 00:10:36,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: Now, our friend, Grant Fisher, who is our featured guest 187 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: today, and we recorded a live interview with Grant last 188 00:10:40,740 --> 00:10:44,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thursday, January 30th, as part of our TCS New York 189 00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:49,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: City Marathon Partner Forum. Unfortunately, Grant caught a bug, wasn't 190 00:10:49,350 --> 00:10:52,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: feeling great, and on the morning of the race, let 191 00:10:52,110 --> 00:10:53,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: everybody know he was not going to make it to 192 00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:56,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: the starting line. Of course, that was disappointing for so 193 00:10:56,670 --> 00:10:59,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: many people who are excited to see Grant run in 194 00:10:59,250 --> 00:11:03,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York. So, he pulled out and that happens. He 195 00:11:03,270 --> 00:11:05,309 Rob Simmelkjaer: was in New York preparing for the Millrose Games. And 196 00:11:05,309 --> 00:11:08,069 Rob Simmelkjaer: of course, we're excited at New York Road Runners because 197 00:11:08,070 --> 00:11:12,449 Rob Simmelkjaer: Grant is also set to run the United Airlines NYC Half 198 00:11:12,450 --> 00:11:14,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: in March. We talked a lot about that in the 199 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,559 Rob Simmelkjaer: interview that you're going to hear in just a little 200 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: while, but he just ended up scratching. And we know 201 00:11:20,250 --> 00:11:23,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: that can happen. We all have days where we wake 202 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: up not feeling well. There's a lot going around right 203 00:11:26,460 --> 00:11:28,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: now, but we're going to play the interview anyway, because 204 00:11:28,860 --> 00:11:30,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: what we spend a lot of time talking about with 205 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: Grant in the interview is his general career and what 206 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:37,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: he's been up to since Paris in 2024 when he 207 00:11:38,670 --> 00:11:41,429 Rob Simmelkjaer: had an incredible performance winning bronze in both the men's 5, 208 00:11:41,460 --> 00:11:47,459 Rob Simmelkjaer: 000 and men's 10, 000- meter events. So, we'll play that 209 00:11:47,460 --> 00:11:50,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: interview, talk a bit with Grant about what he's got 210 00:11:50,460 --> 00:11:53,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: planned, his first half marathon ever, which will be in 211 00:11:53,790 --> 00:11:57,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: March, as well as his ultimate goal, which is to 212 00:11:57,420 --> 00:12:00,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: get up to the marathon distance. And so, we'll talk 213 00:12:00,090 --> 00:12:03,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: about all that with Grant coming up. But after that 214 00:12:03,030 --> 00:12:05,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: interview, we're actually going to bring on our coach, Ben 215 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: Delaney, from New York Road Runners because we'll talk with 216 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: Ben a little bit about what happened with Grant and 217 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:12,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: the decision that he had to make. Of course, we 218 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:15,059 Rob Simmelkjaer: don't know much about the details of Grant's illness. But 219 00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:18,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: listen, we all have days where maybe we're scheduled to 220 00:12:18,390 --> 00:12:20,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: run a race and we're just not feeling it. And 221 00:12:20,910 --> 00:12:23,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: so, we'll talk a little bit with Coach Ben about 222 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: what runners can take away from an Olympian like Grant 223 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: Fisher deciding to take a pass on a big race 224 00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:31,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: like that, which I'm sure had to be a really 225 00:12:31,890 --> 00:12:34,319 Rob Simmelkjaer: tough thing for him. He traveled all the way to 226 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York. His fiance was in town as well. And 227 00:12:37,740 --> 00:12:40,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: so, it's tough for, I'm sure, for him to make 228 00:12:40,470 --> 00:12:43,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: a decision like that. And so, what does that mean for you when you're not 229 00:12:43,260 --> 00:12:45,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: feeling your best and the decisions that maybe you should 230 00:12:45,390 --> 00:12:48,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: make to not run when you're 100%? That's all coming 231 00:12:48,870 --> 00:12:51,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: up as well, but stay tuned before that for a 232 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,429 Rob Simmelkjaer: great live interview with Grant Fisher. 233 00:12:53,790 --> 00:12:56,429 Speaker 3: Peloton is taking running and race tech to the next 234 00:12:56,429 --> 00:13:00,390 Speaker 3: level with the new Peloton cross- training series, Tread Plus, 235 00:13:00,390 --> 00:13:04,620 Speaker 3: powered by Peloton IQ. 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Experience our most 245 00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:46,470 Speaker 3: advanced tread yet at onepeloton. com. Peloton, the official digital 246 00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:48,330 Speaker 3: fitness partner of New York Road Runners. 247 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, this is a treat. We are here with a 248 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: live audience at the TCS New York City Marathon Partner 249 00:13:55,350 --> 00:13:57,720 Rob Simmelkjaer: Forum. This is a gathering where we get all of 250 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: our partners and sponsors together every year to talk about 251 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: this year's marathon. And so, we're so excited to be 252 00:14:03,750 --> 00:14:07,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: joined with this great live audience here at the SUMMIT. 253 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:12,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: We're at the SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt right in New 254 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:16,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: York City, and we have an incredibly special guest joining 255 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:20,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: us today. He is the fastest indoor 5K runner in 256 00:14:20,550 --> 00:14:24,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: the world, a two- time Olympic bronze medalist, and he's 257 00:14:24,930 --> 00:14:29,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: making his half marathon debut and road racing debut at 258 00:14:29,010 --> 00:14:33,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half. He is a runner 259 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: with whom I am truly ... I'm in awe of him, 260 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: simply. I watched him in Paris in both the 5K and the 10K, 261 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: where he got bronze medals in both, the first American ever 262 00:14:44,610 --> 00:14:48,720 Rob Simmelkjaer: to do that. Please welcome Grant Fisher. Grant. 263 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:55,081 Grant Fisher: All right. Let's do it. 264 00:14:55,081 --> 00:14:56,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, great to have you. 265 00:14:57,030 --> 00:14:58,230 Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you, guys. 266 00:14:58,740 --> 00:15:03,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks for being here. I have to say, Grant, one 267 00:15:03,090 --> 00:15:06,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: of the awesome things about my job and about doing 268 00:15:06,540 --> 00:15:08,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: this podcast is every once in a while, I just 269 00:15:08,820 --> 00:15:11,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: get to meet someone who I'm truly in awe of. 270 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: And I was just telling Christine Burke on our team 271 00:15:15,570 --> 00:15:18,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: that I remember exactly where I was watching you in 272 00:15:18,870 --> 00:15:23,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: 2024 in the 5, 000 and then again in the 10, 000. We 273 00:15:23,250 --> 00:15:25,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: had a little text chain going at New York Road 274 00:15:25,410 --> 00:15:28,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners where we're following some of these distance races and 275 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: to see you do what you did in those races, 276 00:15:31,980 --> 00:15:34,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: finishing on the podium, not once, but twice in these 277 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: grueling events in Paris and taking out the American flag, 278 00:15:39,090 --> 00:15:41,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: doing your lap there, it was an incredible thing to 279 00:15:41,970 --> 00:15:44,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: see. Here we are two years later and you're still 280 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: doing incredible things on the track. But still, how do 281 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: you look back on that time in your life and 282 00:15:50,130 --> 00:15:52,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: what it's meant for you to achieve what you did 283 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:53,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: in Paris? 284 00:15:53,670 --> 00:15:57,090 Grant Fisher: Oh, man. On the track when you grow up in 285 00:15:57,090 --> 00:15:59,640 Grant Fisher: the United States, the biggest thing you can do is 286 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,360 Grant Fisher: go to the Olympics, represent your country and try your 287 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,260 Grant Fisher: best. And when I was growing up, people didn't really 288 00:16:07,260 --> 00:16:09,330 Grant Fisher: think of Americans as people that could get on the 289 00:16:09,330 --> 00:16:13,890 Grant Fisher: podium very much, especially in the distance races. So, as 290 00:16:13,890 --> 00:16:16,530 Grant Fisher: I grew up a little bit, as professional running came 291 00:16:16,530 --> 00:16:20,100 Grant Fisher: on the table, as making an Olympic team came on 292 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:23,700 Grant Fisher: the table, getting on the podium became an idea that 293 00:16:23,700 --> 00:16:27,510 Grant Fisher: I had and a goal that I had. And you're right, 294 00:16:27,510 --> 00:16:29,880 Grant Fisher: you described it so well. When you cross that finish 295 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,680 Grant Fisher: line, when you get your flag and you get to 296 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,220 Grant Fisher: do your lap in front of 80, 000 people, there's no 297 00:16:35,220 --> 00:16:38,070 Grant Fisher: feeling like it. And then you get up on the 298 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,310 Grant Fisher: podium and they put that medal around your neck and 299 00:16:41,310 --> 00:16:43,080 Grant Fisher: you're like, " Man, I have this forever. This is mine 300 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:47,580 Grant Fisher: now. And I earned that." And it's stuff you'll never 301 00:16:47,580 --> 00:16:50,760 Grant Fisher: forget. Just such a good feeling. And it was equal 302 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,500 Grant Fisher: parts relief, because I had a lot of pressure on 303 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:55,440 Grant Fisher: myself that I had built up as it was just 304 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,800 Grant Fisher: joy. Because that moment, it was one of those few 305 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,440 Grant Fisher: moments in your life where you want to hang onto 306 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,690 Grant Fisher: it because you know, you're going to think back to 307 00:17:03,690 --> 00:17:06,720 Grant Fisher: it so many times you'll never fully capture that emotion 308 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:08,700 Grant Fisher: again, but just so much fun. 309 00:17:09,060 --> 00:17:12,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: How has it changed your life as a runner and 310 00:17:12,750 --> 00:17:14,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: how has it changed your life off the track? 311 00:17:16,050 --> 00:17:19,619 Grant Fisher: It certainly led to more attention off the track, which 312 00:17:19,619 --> 00:17:22,680 Grant Fisher: is a good thing. Track sometimes doesn't get the same 313 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:24,930 Grant Fisher: recognition as the other big sports in the US, so 314 00:17:25,230 --> 00:17:28,320 Grant Fisher: I'll take everything we can get. On the track, there's 315 00:17:28,410 --> 00:17:30,419 Grant Fisher: certainly more pressure. There's a target on my back. I 316 00:17:30,420 --> 00:17:34,050 Grant Fisher: remember when I was first coming into the sport, if 317 00:17:34,050 --> 00:17:36,270 Grant Fisher: there was an Olympic medalist in the race, I wanted 318 00:17:36,270 --> 00:17:39,030 Grant Fisher: to beat them so bad. That was a good victory 319 00:17:39,030 --> 00:17:41,640 Grant Fisher: to have, even if they were way past their prime 320 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,520 Grant Fisher: to beat an Olympic medalist would be super cool. So, 321 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,440 Grant Fisher: now, I'm that guy with the target on my back. 322 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,050 Grant Fisher: I like to think I'm pretty hard to beat in 323 00:17:49,050 --> 00:17:53,100 Grant Fisher: any distance, but it's certainly different. There's more pressure going 324 00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:56,970 Grant Fisher: into a race. There's expectations. You're a medalist for life, 325 00:17:56,970 --> 00:17:59,070 Grant Fisher: so those will hang with me forever. 326 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: You hardly stopped. You just kept going from 2024, doing 327 00:18:03,930 --> 00:18:07,619 Rob Simmelkjaer: amazing things outdoors and indoors. We're in the indoor season 328 00:18:07,619 --> 00:18:10,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: right now. And last year you did incredible things there. 329 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:17,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: You broke world records in both the 3, 000 and the 5,000 meters. You just 330 00:18:17,190 --> 00:18:20,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: came from a tremendous meet in Boston as well where 331 00:18:21,390 --> 00:18:24,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: you broke another record, but ended up finishing second in the 2, 332 00:18:24,540 --> 00:18:27,929 Rob Simmelkjaer: 000 up there. So, how have you been able to 333 00:18:27,930 --> 00:18:31,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: take that success you had in Paris, the success you're 334 00:18:31,050 --> 00:18:33,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: having on the track outdoors and really bring that indoors 335 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:35,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: to become one of the best in the world there 336 00:18:35,220 --> 00:18:35,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: as well? 337 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:40,109 Grant Fisher: I like to pride myself on being pretty versatile. And 338 00:18:40,109 --> 00:18:43,260 Grant Fisher: it's fun to try new things and new challenges and 339 00:18:43,260 --> 00:18:47,129 Grant Fisher: go after just something that's not always comfortable. Racing a 340 00:18:47,130 --> 00:18:50,850 Grant Fisher: 2K this past weekend was very uncomfortable. That's far from 341 00:18:50,850 --> 00:18:54,090 Grant Fisher: my specialty, far from what my training has primed me 342 00:18:54,090 --> 00:18:56,250 Grant Fisher: for, but wanted to get out there and race and 343 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:58,470 Grant Fisher: mix it up with the best milers in the world. 344 00:18:59,369 --> 00:19:01,710 Grant Fisher: And it was really fun. I broke the world record, 345 00:19:01,710 --> 00:19:04,020 Grant Fisher: but lost the race somehow. Sometimes that happens. 346 00:19:04,980 --> 00:19:07,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: When people are very fast and the track is fast. Shout 347 00:19:07,770 --> 00:19:09,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: out to our friends at New Balance, by the way, 348 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,119 Rob Simmelkjaer: that was their track that you did that on. 349 00:19:12,148 --> 00:19:12,208 Grant Fisher: Yeah. 350 00:19:12,450 --> 00:19:14,879 Rob Simmelkjaer: When you break a world record and finish second, do 351 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: you feel good or are you like, " How did that happen to me?" 352 00:19:19,230 --> 00:19:22,440 Grant Fisher: It's bittersweet. It's like, " Man, it took a world record 353 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:23,730 Grant Fisher: to beat me today. That's kind of crazy." 354 00:19:23,730 --> 00:19:24,510 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty good. 355 00:19:24,570 --> 00:19:27,899 Grant Fisher: I would have rather had that world record myself. It 356 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:29,310 Grant Fisher: would have been pretty cool because I could have held 357 00:19:29,310 --> 00:19:34,080 Grant Fisher: the 2K, 3K and 5K world record simultaneously, which would have been pretty 358 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:37,440 Grant Fisher: fun to have that range. But number two all- time 359 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:38,520 Grant Fisher: is still pretty good. 360 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: And so, you'll be back on the track this weekend 361 00:19:41,730 --> 00:19:44,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the Millrose Games coming up on Sunday up at 362 00:19:44,220 --> 00:19:46,859 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Armory, and that's going to be a 3, 000- 363 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:48,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: meter event, correct for you? 364 00:19:48,570 --> 00:19:49,020 Grant Fisher: 2- mile. 365 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:49,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: 2 miles. 366 00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:50,730 Grant Fisher: Almost the same. 367 00:19:50,790 --> 00:19:52,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes, yes. It's tough to keep the meters and the 368 00:19:52,859 --> 00:19:55,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: miles correct. So, what are you looking to get out 369 00:19:55,830 --> 00:19:59,430 Rob Simmelkjaer: of that? Because right after that, not very long down 370 00:19:59,430 --> 00:20:02,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: the road, you'll be towing the line for your first 371 00:20:02,010 --> 00:20:05,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: ever half marathon at the United Airlines NYC Half. So, how 372 00:20:05,550 --> 00:20:10,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: do you go from running these shorter distances indoors to 373 00:20:10,290 --> 00:20:13,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: starting to train for your first ever road effort? 374 00:20:14,340 --> 00:20:17,580 Grant Fisher: Yeah. It'll be a massive challenge and one that I'm 375 00:20:17,580 --> 00:20:21,419 Grant Fisher: excited for. I mentioned earlier that the sport is defined on 376 00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:24,660 Grant Fisher: the track at least by the Olympics. And in non- 377 00:20:24,660 --> 00:20:26,940 Grant Fisher: Olympic years, usually we have a world championship on the 378 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:29,670 Grant Fisher: track, but we don't have that this year. So, I've 379 00:20:29,670 --> 00:20:33,090 Grant Fisher: got a lot more freedom to explore new things, take 380 00:20:33,090 --> 00:20:35,550 Grant Fisher: on a new challenge and see how it goes. So, 381 00:20:36,390 --> 00:20:40,949 Grant Fisher: yeah, I'm racing very short distances for me and I 382 00:20:40,950 --> 00:20:44,040 Grant Fisher: think I'm in pretty good shape for it to run 383 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:47,790 Grant Fisher: pretty quick. The Millrose Race is Sunday, incredible field. 384 00:20:48,060 --> 00:20:50,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a packed field. We should have Cole Hocker is 385 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: running that, of course, the gold medalist from Paris, Josh 386 00:20:52,980 --> 00:20:57,359 Rob Simmelkjaer: Kerr, George Beamish. So, you dropped into a stacked field 387 00:20:57,570 --> 00:21:00,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the Millrose Games. What are you hoping to get 388 00:21:00,030 --> 00:21:00,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: from that? 389 00:21:00,990 --> 00:21:02,221 Grant Fisher: I'm hoping to get a race out of it. 390 00:21:02,221 --> 00:21:04,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: I think you'll get that. 391 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,889 Grant Fisher: Yeah. Last year, I went into that race wanting a 392 00:21:07,890 --> 00:21:11,340 Grant Fisher: competition, wanting a battle, and I found it with Cole. 393 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:13,500 Grant Fisher: And we went back and forth head- to- head, and 394 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:15,840 Grant Fisher: I ended up getting the best of him that time, 395 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:21,750 Grant Fisher: and the time took care of itself. And now, I 396 00:21:21,750 --> 00:21:24,540 Grant Fisher: don't like looking too far past a race, but looking 397 00:21:24,540 --> 00:21:29,820 Grant Fisher: more forward to the United Airlines half, six weeks away, 398 00:21:30,030 --> 00:21:32,429 Grant Fisher: six and a half weeks away. I'm looking for a 399 00:21:32,430 --> 00:21:35,850 Grant Fisher: battle there, too. I think there'll be ... Well, everyone in 400 00:21:35,850 --> 00:21:37,770 Grant Fisher: that field pretty much will be more experienced on the 401 00:21:37,770 --> 00:21:41,040 Grant Fisher: road than me. Everyone in that field will have a 402 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,930 Grant Fisher: better feel for fueling, for different race conditions, for hills. 403 00:21:46,230 --> 00:21:49,710 Grant Fisher: I'm used to a very controlled environment on the track, 404 00:21:49,770 --> 00:21:52,500 Grant Fisher: and I'm excited for all these new elements that I 405 00:21:52,500 --> 00:21:55,230 Grant Fisher: have to learn. And so, going into that race, I 406 00:21:55,230 --> 00:21:58,920 Grant Fisher: think I do best when I try to win. I 407 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,100 Grant Fisher: could easily have chosen to debut and a half marathon 408 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:05,430 Grant Fisher: in a small, controlled setting. But I didn't want that. 409 00:22:05,430 --> 00:22:09,300 Grant Fisher: I wanted the excitement of a race, and I wanted 410 00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:12,000 Grant Fisher: to race guys that are way more experienced than me that ... 411 00:22:12,990 --> 00:22:15,389 Grant Fisher: I wanted that metric. I wanted that bar that I 412 00:22:15,390 --> 00:22:18,389 Grant Fisher: had to chase, and I think that'll be a perfect 413 00:22:18,390 --> 00:22:18,869 Grant Fisher: time for it. 414 00:22:19,050 --> 00:22:20,669 Rob Simmelkjaer: By the way, we're going to take questions from the 415 00:22:20,670 --> 00:22:23,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: audience in a little while. So, start thinking of your 416 00:22:23,010 --> 00:22:28,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: questions for this incredible runner right now. So, have you 417 00:22:28,230 --> 00:22:32,609 Rob Simmelkjaer: started doing miles on the road yet? What's that process 418 00:22:32,609 --> 00:22:36,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: like for someone who's spent your entire career on the 419 00:22:36,090 --> 00:22:38,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: track to start getting ready for your first road race? 420 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,619 Grant Fisher: Yeah, I have. For track runners, the majority of our 421 00:22:43,619 --> 00:22:47,490 Grant Fisher: mileage is easy running, percentage- wise, and that is almost 422 00:22:47,490 --> 00:22:50,879 Grant Fisher: always on dirt roads or trails or paved roads. So, 423 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,100 Grant Fisher: I'm already used to being on it for some, and 424 00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:56,430 Grant Fisher: then our race intensity stuff will be on the track, 425 00:22:56,430 --> 00:23:00,869 Grant Fisher: because that's where our race will be. So, I've started 426 00:23:00,869 --> 00:23:03,420 Grant Fisher: to shift over a little bit to some race intensity, 427 00:23:03,750 --> 00:23:06,720 Grant Fisher: well, more like half marathon race intensity onto the roads. 428 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:09,900 Grant Fisher: And then once I'm done with Millrose Games this weekend, 429 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,690 Grant Fisher: I'll really have to lock into that. I'm already running 430 00:23:12,690 --> 00:23:14,520 Grant Fisher: a lot of mileage. I already do a lot of 431 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:19,770 Grant Fisher: threshold work that is roughly half marathon goal pace. So, 432 00:23:19,770 --> 00:23:21,959 Grant Fisher: I'm used to that rhythm a little bit, but I 433 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,639 Grant Fisher: will have to adjust to longer tempos. This past weekend, 434 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,720 Grant Fisher: I ran a 2K. We ran about 57 high for 435 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,869 Grant Fisher: each lap if you average it out. That's not super 436 00:23:33,869 --> 00:23:37,830 Grant Fisher: applicable to the half marathon. So, the sessions that prepared 437 00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:41,190 Grant Fisher: me for that might be 400- meter repeats. That will 438 00:23:41,190 --> 00:23:44,340 Grant Fisher: have to shift and transition to mile repeats, 2- mile 439 00:23:44,340 --> 00:23:48,119 Grant Fisher: repeats, 3- mile repeats, much longer tempos. Yeah. 440 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:48,448 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. 441 00:23:48,449 --> 00:23:54,300 Grant Fisher: So, I think my background being a 5K, 10K specialist will do 442 00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:57,659 Grant Fisher: well in the transition, but I will definitely have to 443 00:23:57,660 --> 00:23:58,800 Grant Fisher: change training to get ready. 444 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: Who have you talked to? I read that you've been 445 00:24:02,220 --> 00:24:05,879 Rob Simmelkjaer: in touch with some of the great American distance runners 446 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: and American distance running on the road is in a 447 00:24:08,850 --> 00:24:12,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: really good place right now. Obviously, people like Connor Mantz, 448 00:24:12,030 --> 00:24:15,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: Clayton Young doing great things on the road at the 449 00:24:15,090 --> 00:24:18,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: half in the marathon distances. Who have you talked to? What 450 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:18,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: kind of advice are you getting? 451 00:24:19,859 --> 00:24:21,600 Grant Fisher: Actually, most of the guys I've talked to are the 452 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,570 Grant Fisher: ones you just mentioned. I live in Park City, Utah, 453 00:24:24,690 --> 00:24:27,869 Grant Fisher: and those guys live in Provo, so very close. And 454 00:24:28,230 --> 00:24:30,420 Grant Fisher: I've spoken to Connor a few times about the half 455 00:24:30,420 --> 00:24:34,440 Grant Fisher: and any advice he has. And he's jokingly said, " Maybe 456 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,030 Grant Fisher: you should wait a little longer before going to the 457 00:24:36,030 --> 00:24:39,990 Grant Fisher: roads." And Clayton's a great guy, too. Both of them 458 00:24:40,290 --> 00:24:43,320 Grant Fisher: are really elevating the game a lot in the US 459 00:24:44,490 --> 00:24:49,020 Grant Fisher: and Americans are fighting for podiums at majors now. That 460 00:24:49,020 --> 00:24:51,690 Grant Fisher: was not always the case when I was growing up. 461 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,330 Grant Fisher: And it's a fun era to start to think about 462 00:24:54,330 --> 00:24:58,320 Grant Fisher: transitioning to the roads and putting my name in that 463 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,320 Grant Fisher: realm and just seeing what I can do. I think 464 00:25:02,250 --> 00:25:06,930 Grant Fisher: Connor's a fantastic athlete, really nice guy. And any chance 465 00:25:06,930 --> 00:25:08,850 Grant Fisher: I have racing him is really fun. We're actually the 466 00:25:08,850 --> 00:25:11,580 Grant Fisher: exact same age. We were the same high school class. 467 00:25:12,390 --> 00:25:15,090 Grant Fisher: He went on a two- year mission, but our ages 468 00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:16,230 Grant Fisher: are the exact same. 469 00:25:16,410 --> 00:25:16,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: 28. 470 00:25:17,070 --> 00:25:17,820 Grant Fisher: We're both 28. 471 00:25:17,820 --> 00:25:18,119 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep. 472 00:25:18,210 --> 00:25:20,790 Grant Fisher: So, it feels like he's been on the roads forever 473 00:25:20,790 --> 00:25:23,340 Grant Fisher: and I guess he has. He has more experience than me, 474 00:25:23,340 --> 00:25:27,030 Grant Fisher: but I think I can make up that gap. And 475 00:25:27,030 --> 00:25:29,730 Grant Fisher: I think if I can make my learning curve pretty 476 00:25:29,730 --> 00:25:32,040 Grant Fisher: sharp, I think I can be competitive pretty quickly. 477 00:25:32,190 --> 00:25:37,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: The traditional path for a runner, a distance runner traditionally 478 00:25:37,260 --> 00:25:40,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: has been you spend as much time on the track 479 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: as you can until you're really no longer able to 480 00:25:44,010 --> 00:25:47,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: win on the track. And then you start going out 481 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: onto the road and unless you're someone like a Clayton 482 00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:52,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: or Connor who's pretty much rode all the way through. 483 00:25:52,380 --> 00:25:54,899 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, have you had people ask? And it sounds like 484 00:25:54,900 --> 00:25:58,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: you did get Connor, Clayton asking, why now? Why not 485 00:25:58,380 --> 00:26:01,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: wait a little longer to make that transition to the 486 00:26:01,230 --> 00:26:02,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: road? And so why now? 487 00:26:02,940 --> 00:26:06,150 Grant Fisher: Yeah. There's two main reasons. One is that I want 488 00:26:06,150 --> 00:26:09,810 Grant Fisher: to try the roads when I am at my prime. 489 00:26:10,140 --> 00:26:12,990 Grant Fisher: I don't want to wait until I'm way over the 490 00:26:12,990 --> 00:26:15,000 Grant Fisher: hill and I have nothing left in my body and 491 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,210 Grant Fisher: I'm just doing it just to say I ran a 492 00:26:18,210 --> 00:26:20,490 Grant Fisher: marathon. I want to do it to really see how 493 00:26:20,490 --> 00:26:23,369 Grant Fisher: good I can be. And there's a little bit of 494 00:26:23,369 --> 00:26:26,129 Grant Fisher: risk in that. Maybe I won't be as good as 495 00:26:26,130 --> 00:26:28,830 Grant Fisher: I was on the track, but maybe I'll be better. So, you 496 00:26:29,490 --> 00:26:33,659 Grant Fisher: never really know. And I want to give myself a 497 00:26:33,660 --> 00:26:37,139 Grant Fisher: real shot, a real test. And I think looking back 498 00:26:37,140 --> 00:26:39,690 Grant Fisher: in 30 years, I'll be happy that, hey, I found 499 00:26:39,690 --> 00:26:42,660 Grant Fisher: out how good I could be. And the second reason 500 00:26:42,660 --> 00:26:46,710 Grant Fisher: is we have the Olympics coming up in 2028. So, 501 00:26:46,710 --> 00:26:51,060 Grant Fisher: home Olympics, the very iconic races at the Olympics are 502 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:55,050 Grant Fisher: often the 100 meters, the mile and the marathon. And I don't 503 00:26:55,050 --> 00:26:58,679 Grant Fisher: see myself becoming 100- meter specialist anytime soon. So, the 504 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:03,030 Grant Fisher: marathon is a compelling idea. This half coming up in 505 00:27:03,030 --> 00:27:07,920 Grant Fisher: March will be very informative on how quickly and how 506 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,070 Grant Fisher: aggressively I want to transition more exclusively to the roads. 507 00:27:12,750 --> 00:27:15,510 Grant Fisher: There's been cases in the past of people doing a 508 00:27:15,510 --> 00:27:19,950 Grant Fisher: 10K marathon double at the Olympic Games. It's possible with 509 00:27:19,950 --> 00:27:22,830 Grant Fisher: the schedule that they release. So, that's kind of deep 510 00:27:22,830 --> 00:27:25,740 Grant Fisher: in the back of my mind. It's a few years 511 00:27:25,740 --> 00:27:28,350 Grant Fisher: away, but when you work backwards and say, " Okay. If 512 00:27:28,350 --> 00:27:30,659 Grant Fisher: I want to run an Olympic marathon, I need to 513 00:27:30,660 --> 00:27:32,490 Grant Fisher: run the Olympic trials. If I want to run the 514 00:27:32,490 --> 00:27:34,590 Grant Fisher: Olympic trials, I should probably run a marathon before that." 515 00:27:35,609 --> 00:27:36,750 Grant Fisher: And if I want to do that, I should probably 516 00:27:36,750 --> 00:27:39,540 Grant Fisher: do a half before that. So, when you work backwards, 517 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,510 Grant Fisher: the half in New York City coming up works out 518 00:27:42,510 --> 00:27:46,890 Grant Fisher: really well timing- wise. And yeah, it's an exciting space. 519 00:27:46,890 --> 00:27:49,830 Grant Fisher: It works out perfectly with my schedule where I can 520 00:27:49,830 --> 00:27:53,250 Grant Fisher: slot it in after indoor season, before outdoor season, and 521 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,840 Grant Fisher: give an honest, really, really strong effort at it and 522 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:58,138 Grant Fisher: see how it goes. 523 00:27:58,530 --> 00:28:01,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, as we get set to watch you in March 524 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the United Airlines NYC Half, what does success look 525 00:28:05,340 --> 00:28:07,709 Rob Simmelkjaer: like for you there? Is there a time you're thinking 526 00:28:07,710 --> 00:28:11,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: about? Is it winning the race or a podium finish? 527 00:28:11,790 --> 00:28:12,659 Rob Simmelkjaer: What are you thinking about? 528 00:28:14,070 --> 00:28:16,350 Grant Fisher: The goal is not a time. The goal is ultimately 529 00:28:16,350 --> 00:28:19,410 Grant Fisher: kind of a feeling. It's a feeling of I put 530 00:28:19,410 --> 00:28:22,980 Grant Fisher: myself out there, I was competitive, I was in that 531 00:28:22,980 --> 00:28:25,830 Grant Fisher: front pack, and there's more to give. If I give 532 00:28:25,830 --> 00:28:28,139 Grant Fisher: a little more time to this, a little longer of 533 00:28:28,140 --> 00:28:33,359 Grant Fisher: a build, I see a future in it. If I'm 534 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,159 Grant Fisher: in the race and I'm in that lead pack, I'm 535 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,280 Grant Fisher: going to try to win. And that is my attitude 536 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,320 Grant Fisher: going into any race is I'm going to try to 537 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,600 Grant Fisher: win. If I come up short, it is what it 538 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:46,410 Grant Fisher: is. But there's no worse feeling than finishing a race 539 00:28:46,410 --> 00:28:49,650 Grant Fisher: and not trying to do the big thing, try to 540 00:28:49,650 --> 00:28:53,070 Grant Fisher: win it, try to shoot for your big goal and 541 00:28:53,070 --> 00:28:55,950 Grant Fisher: finish with that feeling of, "Ah, I could have given a 542 00:28:55,950 --> 00:28:58,560 Grant Fisher: little bit more out there. I could have tried something 543 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:00,750 Grant Fisher: different. I could have attacked with a mile to go. 544 00:29:00,750 --> 00:29:03,210 Grant Fisher: I could have attacked with 2 miles to go. I 545 00:29:03,210 --> 00:29:05,700 Grant Fisher: could have hung in there a little longer." Those are 546 00:29:06,330 --> 00:29:11,010 Grant Fisher: just feelings as an athlete that you regret and I want to go in and feel 547 00:29:11,010 --> 00:29:13,740 Grant Fisher: like I gave everything. And so, it's more of a 548 00:29:13,740 --> 00:29:16,020 Grant Fisher: feeling that I'm looking for. And if I get that 549 00:29:16,020 --> 00:29:19,050 Grant Fisher: right, I think it'll be very encouraging for future on 550 00:29:19,050 --> 00:29:19,500 Grant Fisher: the roads. 551 00:29:19,740 --> 00:29:23,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: Have you had a chance to check out the course much? 552 00:29:23,010 --> 00:29:25,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a little different the last couple of years going 553 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: over the Brooklyn Bridge instead of the Manhattan Bridge, which 554 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: people seem to really like. What are your early impressions 555 00:29:31,740 --> 00:29:32,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: of the course? 556 00:29:33,060 --> 00:29:35,040 Grant Fisher: Yeah. I like that it's a little less hilly than it 557 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:39,600 Grant Fisher: was. For my first one, maybe at some point, the 558 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,660 Grant Fisher: hills will be a strength. But without any data, any 559 00:29:42,660 --> 00:29:46,740 Grant Fisher: feedback, it's nice to have a little more comfortable flatter 560 00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:50,430 Grant Fisher: course. So, yeah, you go over some iconic landmarks. You 561 00:29:50,430 --> 00:29:53,310 Grant Fisher: go over the Brooklyn Bridge, you go through Times Square, 562 00:29:53,790 --> 00:29:56,370 Grant Fisher: you go through the park. These are things that people 563 00:29:56,370 --> 00:29:58,830 Grant Fisher: all over the world know, even if they're not runners, 564 00:29:59,190 --> 00:30:02,040 Grant Fisher: which is really cool. When to be somewhere where the 565 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,580 Grant Fisher: city shuts down, a lot of my friends my age 566 00:30:05,580 --> 00:30:07,739 Grant Fisher: are really getting into running now. Even my friends that 567 00:30:07,740 --> 00:30:10,650 Grant Fisher: hated running when we were growing up, they're really getting 568 00:30:10,650 --> 00:30:14,070 Grant Fisher: into half marathons, full marathons. I'm actually in my friend 569 00:30:14,070 --> 00:30:16,140 Grant Fisher: group, one of the later ones to get into it. 570 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,091 Rob Simmelkjaer: Finally. What took you so long? 571 00:30:21,091 --> 00:30:22,710 Grant Fisher: Well, some of my friends joke with me that they have a 572 00:30:22,710 --> 00:30:25,680 Grant Fisher: better half marathon PR than me. And it's true. 573 00:30:25,830 --> 00:30:26,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: Not for long. 574 00:30:26,580 --> 00:30:31,650 Grant Fisher: Yeah. But yeah, a lot of things lined up perfectly 575 00:30:31,650 --> 00:30:36,450 Grant Fisher: for this race. And I'm excited for it. The ups 576 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:38,490 Grant Fisher: and downs, the turns, it'll be a little different. I'm 577 00:30:38,490 --> 00:30:41,160 Grant Fisher: so used to having the track where you look up 578 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,050 Grant Fisher: and you see the lap counter. You see the time. 579 00:30:43,410 --> 00:30:46,500 Grant Fisher: I know what 400 meters feels like. It's always the 580 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:49,170 Grant Fisher: exact same. This will be different. I'll be looking at 581 00:30:49,170 --> 00:30:51,960 Grant Fisher: landmarks more so. Say, " Okay. I'm in the park now. 582 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,890 Grant Fisher: Okay. How should I feel? I'm making this last turn. 583 00:30:56,460 --> 00:31:01,800 Grant Fisher: Roughly that's 800 meters to go." It'll be different mentally 584 00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:06,210 Grant Fisher: having these ... The metrics will just be slightly different. And 585 00:31:06,210 --> 00:31:09,030 Grant Fisher: at the end of the day, every course is different. 586 00:31:09,030 --> 00:31:11,580 Grant Fisher: The weather will be different than last year. 587 00:31:11,790 --> 00:31:14,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hopefully a little warmer than what we're dealing with right 588 00:31:14,910 --> 00:31:15,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: now in New York. Yeah. 589 00:31:15,630 --> 00:31:19,590 Grant Fisher: Yep. And yeah, there's just so many different variables that 590 00:31:20,250 --> 00:31:22,980 Grant Fisher: it'll be fun to navigate it. And also, I'll be 591 00:31:22,980 --> 00:31:24,450 Grant Fisher: able to watch some of the best guys in the 592 00:31:24,450 --> 00:31:27,270 Grant Fisher: world navigate it as well. So, even if I get 593 00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:30,210 Grant Fisher: something wrong, I can follow these guys and make that 594 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:35,130 Grant Fisher: learning curve really, really, really short. And I can see 595 00:31:35,130 --> 00:31:36,780 Grant Fisher: how they attack. I can see what they do when 596 00:31:36,780 --> 00:31:38,640 Grant Fisher: they're fatigued. I can see how they run in the 597 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,660 Grant Fisher: pack. And if I just time trialed something on my 598 00:31:42,660 --> 00:31:46,050 Grant Fisher: own at a much smaller venue, I just wouldn't get 599 00:31:46,050 --> 00:31:49,650 Grant Fisher: that feedback. So, yeah, I think a lot of things 600 00:31:49,650 --> 00:31:51,030 Grant Fisher: line up and the course is going to be fun. 601 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's going to be a lot of fun to watch 602 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:57,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: you out there. And talk about racing in New York 603 00:31:57,090 --> 00:31:59,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: as well. I mean, you're doing Millrose indoors. But to 604 00:31:59,850 --> 00:32:03,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: make your half marathon and your road racing debut here in 605 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:09,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: this city, you're a Stanford guy, a California guy. So, 606 00:32:09,420 --> 00:32:11,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: coming out and doing your first road race on the 607 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: East Coast, what are you looking forward to in terms of 608 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: the New York experience you're going to get? 609 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,160 Grant Fisher: Sure. I mean, first of all, iconic city. Everyone in 610 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,160 Grant Fisher: the world knows New York City. I've been out here 611 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:26,670 Grant Fisher: to watch the full marathon twice. And both times I 612 00:32:26,670 --> 00:32:31,410 Grant Fisher: was in Harlem watching and great atmosphere. Super, super fun. 613 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:31,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep. 614 00:32:31,770 --> 00:32:35,400 Grant Fisher: And you see that as a track guy and you 615 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,910 Grant Fisher: feel that this different energy of a whole city coming together 616 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,930 Grant Fisher: to appreciate running. Usually on the track, growing up, you 617 00:32:42,930 --> 00:32:44,850 Grant Fisher: might just have your family there. Even in college, you 618 00:32:44,850 --> 00:32:47,280 Grant Fisher: might have a couple more extended relatives and your friends, 619 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:50,790 Grant Fisher: but you never really get a whole city coming together. 620 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:56,310 Grant Fisher: So, that I'm really looking forward to. A couple of 621 00:32:56,310 --> 00:32:59,850 Grant Fisher: my friends have run New York before. I think long- 622 00:32:59,850 --> 00:33:02,940 Grant Fisher: term down the road, New York Full is certainly something 623 00:33:02,940 --> 00:33:05,790 Grant Fisher: that I want to do and get a taste of 624 00:33:05,790 --> 00:33:10,650 Grant Fisher: that world marathon major type atmosphere. You don't get that 625 00:33:10,650 --> 00:33:15,030 Grant Fisher: in many half marathons. Oftentimes, they're much smaller. Maybe the 626 00:33:15,030 --> 00:33:17,520 Grant Fisher: whole city doesn't shut down in the same way and 627 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,190 Grant Fisher: you don't get as many people cheering. But the volume 628 00:33:20,190 --> 00:33:23,010 Grant Fisher: of this race, the fact that it's in New York, 629 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,010 Grant Fisher: it's exciting, man. Really exciting. 630 00:33:26,220 --> 00:33:30,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: As if the medals and the records and all of that 631 00:33:30,750 --> 00:33:33,510 Rob Simmelkjaer: isn't enough to make your life exciting, you just got 632 00:33:33,510 --> 00:33:35,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: engaged. Congratulations. 633 00:33:35,550 --> 00:33:39,510 Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you. All right. That's the most claps I got 634 00:33:39,510 --> 00:33:42,330 Grant Fisher: all day. All right. Sweet. Always works. 635 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:44,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: A fellow Stanford alum as well, right? 636 00:33:44,610 --> 00:33:48,180 Grant Fisher: That's right. Yeah. Sarah, my fiance ran track at Stanford. 637 00:33:48,180 --> 00:33:52,290 Grant Fisher: We met in college. She ran the 800. I ran 638 00:33:52,290 --> 00:33:57,030 Grant Fisher: the 5K. And yeah, I'm really excited. I'll probably get 639 00:33:57,030 --> 00:34:00,450 Grant Fisher: married in 2027. My sister's getting married this year, so 640 00:34:00,450 --> 00:34:05,280 Grant Fisher: I got to give her the glory this year. But 641 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:08,310 Grant Fisher: that'll be really exciting. She's going to come out for 642 00:34:08,310 --> 00:34:11,609 Grant Fisher: the half in ... month and a half and is really 643 00:34:11,610 --> 00:34:13,860 Grant Fisher: excited. Her family's from the East Coast, so I'll have 644 00:34:13,860 --> 00:34:15,270 Grant Fisher: a lot of her side of the family come out 645 00:34:15,270 --> 00:34:18,000 Grant Fisher: and watch. And some of them are into track and 646 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,030 Grant Fisher: enjoy it. Some of them don't understand running in general 647 00:34:21,030 --> 00:34:25,200 Grant Fisher: at all. So, it'll be fun to show them this 648 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:27,239 Grant Fisher: huge event and say, " This is what I do. It's not just a 649 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,270 Grant Fisher: hobby. I swear pro- running's a thing." 650 00:34:31,860 --> 00:34:33,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: I have a real job. 651 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,410 Grant Fisher: Yeah, yeah. 652 00:34:34,410 --> 00:34:38,489 Rob Simmelkjaer: Do you guys talk a lot about running when you're 653 00:34:38,489 --> 00:34:41,969 Rob Simmelkjaer: together? Are you getting advice, giving each other advice on 654 00:34:41,969 --> 00:34:42,989 Rob Simmelkjaer: how to approach races? 655 00:34:43,739 --> 00:34:45,450 Grant Fisher: I actually try to separate it a little bit. I 656 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:50,370 Grant Fisher: like that Sarah and I's relationship is not running- focused. 657 00:34:50,670 --> 00:34:53,790 Grant Fisher: It's nice because a lot of my life does revolve 658 00:34:53,790 --> 00:34:56,009 Grant Fisher: around the sport. A lot of my decisions revolve around 659 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:01,529 Grant Fisher: optimizing my training. And it's nice to be at home 660 00:35:01,530 --> 00:35:05,310 Grant Fisher: with someone that understands what I'm saying, understands the pressures 661 00:35:05,310 --> 00:35:08,969 Grant Fisher: that I'm going through, understands the demands of training, but 662 00:35:08,969 --> 00:35:15,090 Grant Fisher: is there for me. I think ultimately, I hope Sarah 663 00:35:15,090 --> 00:35:17,520 Grant Fisher: loves me because I'm me and not because I'm a 664 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:23,130 Grant Fisher: runner. And I know deep down she does. And I 665 00:35:23,130 --> 00:35:25,410 Grant Fisher: feel that way about my family, too. My family appreciates 666 00:35:25,410 --> 00:35:29,489 Grant Fisher: the sport and understands it. But it's nice, especially when 667 00:35:29,489 --> 00:35:32,430 Grant Fisher: you're in high stakes situation, knowing that the people around 668 00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:36,450 Grant Fisher: you are there no matter what. Whether I'm running well 669 00:35:36,450 --> 00:35:39,180 Grant Fisher: or I'm running poorly, they've always been there. And so, 670 00:35:39,180 --> 00:35:40,860 Grant Fisher: I feel that way about Sarah. I feel that way 671 00:35:40,860 --> 00:35:46,290 Grant Fisher: about my family. And yeah, a lot of my life 672 00:35:46,290 --> 00:35:48,630 Grant Fisher: is the sport, so it's nice to have that separation. 673 00:35:49,170 --> 00:35:52,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: Something else that is interesting about you, and I guess I 674 00:35:52,260 --> 00:35:57,359 Rob Simmelkjaer: shouldn't be surprised as a Stanford guy that you don't 675 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:01,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: have an agent. You represent yourself. You go out and you do your own 676 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:05,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: deals, sponsorship, things like that. I don't meet too many 677 00:36:05,100 --> 00:36:09,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: people in the industry who don't have representation. What was 678 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:12,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: the thinking for you about just doing it yourself? 679 00:36:13,170 --> 00:36:15,210 Grant Fisher: Yeah. When I came out of college, I had an 680 00:36:15,210 --> 00:36:19,050 Grant Fisher: agent and his name was Tom Ratcliffe, fantastic guy, really, 681 00:36:19,050 --> 00:36:21,090 Grant Fisher: really good agent. About a year and a half ago, 682 00:36:21,090 --> 00:36:24,270 Grant Fisher: I started thinking, " I think I could do some of 683 00:36:24,270 --> 00:36:27,960 Grant Fisher: this stuff myself." And I was looking forward to spending 684 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:30,870 Grant Fisher: my time on something that wasn't entirely track- related, but 685 00:36:32,130 --> 00:36:36,180 Grant Fisher: in the sport. And it's been really fun. I've enjoyed 686 00:36:36,180 --> 00:36:39,239 Grant Fisher: it a lot. I feel like a different autonomy. I 687 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:43,140 Grant Fisher: feel a different accountability in what I do. And I 688 00:36:43,140 --> 00:36:45,120 Grant Fisher: know at the end of the day, no one will 689 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:49,020 Grant Fisher: look out for me more than myself. And having these 690 00:36:49,020 --> 00:36:53,489 Grant Fisher: conversations with meet directors, with potential sponsors, my main sponsor 691 00:36:53,489 --> 00:36:56,130 Grant Fisher: is Nike. I have a fantastic relationship with sports marketing 692 00:36:56,130 --> 00:36:58,589 Grant Fisher: there. It's sometimes streamlined and I can be a little 693 00:36:58,590 --> 00:37:02,009 Grant Fisher: more honest and direct about what I'm looking for and 694 00:37:02,010 --> 00:37:06,300 Grant Fisher: what they're looking for, because I know that I'm looking 695 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:10,830 Grant Fisher: out for my best interest. And there's nothing against agents. 696 00:37:10,830 --> 00:37:13,710 Grant Fisher: I think agents are very important and helpful. But I 697 00:37:13,710 --> 00:37:16,020 Grant Fisher: was ready to see if I could do it myself 698 00:37:16,020 --> 00:37:19,080 Grant Fisher: and I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot of 699 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:24,719 Grant Fisher: negotiation skills, a lot of business skills. There's things that 700 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:28,620 Grant Fisher: I, just being an athlete, you're sheltered from, and it's 701 00:37:28,620 --> 00:37:31,650 Grant Fisher: fun to be at the negotiation table sometimes. 702 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:33,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: You got a few people in the room that could 703 00:37:33,060 --> 00:37:36,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: probably hire you at some point when you're running careers over. 704 00:37:36,450 --> 00:37:39,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: Sounds like you've got a pretty good sports marketing head 705 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: in your shoulder, so it's good experience. 706 00:37:40,770 --> 00:37:44,069 Grant Fisher: Yeah. It is good experience. As a pro- runner, you 707 00:37:44,070 --> 00:37:46,680 Grant Fisher: have a lot of free time. Even if you're training 708 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:48,989 Grant Fisher: a lot, you're only training for three or four hours 709 00:37:48,989 --> 00:37:52,200 Grant Fisher: a day. So, in the context of a work week 710 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,170 Grant Fisher: that you have a lot of free time. So, it's 711 00:37:55,590 --> 00:37:57,780 Grant Fisher: enjoyable to do that. Now, the one thing I don't 712 00:37:57,780 --> 00:38:02,730 Grant Fisher: enjoy is soliciting smaller deals. So, I do have someone 713 00:38:02,730 --> 00:38:03,300 Grant Fisher: do that for me. 714 00:38:04,770 --> 00:38:08,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, you're not cold calling after a race, you're not just picking 715 00:38:08,070 --> 00:38:10,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: up the phone and, " Hey, I'm Grant Fisher, would you" ... 716 00:38:10,860 --> 00:38:12,900 Grant Fisher: Exactly. I don't like doing that. 717 00:38:12,900 --> 00:38:12,901 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. 718 00:38:12,901 --> 00:38:17,040 Grant Fisher: Yeah. So, my idea, and it's worked out pretty well, is the 719 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:18,600 Grant Fisher: things I do like to do, the things I want 720 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,510 Grant Fisher: to learn, I take care of that myself. The things 721 00:38:21,510 --> 00:38:23,129 Grant Fisher: I don't want to do, I outsource that. 722 00:38:23,430 --> 00:38:23,879 Rob Simmelkjaer: Smart. 723 00:38:24,060 --> 00:38:25,770 Grant Fisher: Yeah. Makes a lot of ... I should start doing that. 724 00:38:27,030 --> 00:38:31,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a good strategy. So, what's the one New York thing 725 00:38:31,350 --> 00:38:33,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: you want to do? Maybe when the half comes and 726 00:38:33,810 --> 00:38:37,379 Rob Simmelkjaer: your fiance is here, is there a restaurant, a show, 727 00:38:37,380 --> 00:38:39,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: a place you like to shop? What's your favorite New 728 00:38:39,330 --> 00:38:39,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: York thing? 729 00:38:40,500 --> 00:38:42,180 Grant Fisher: My favorite New York thing is probably just taking the 730 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:45,420 Grant Fisher: subway around and being with locals. But my fiance is 731 00:38:45,420 --> 00:38:47,879 Grant Fisher: very excited to go dress shopping while she's out here. 732 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:50,160 Grant Fisher: So, if you guys know any dress shops, just ... 733 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:53,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: Are we talking any dress or a certain type of dress? 734 00:38:53,430 --> 00:38:56,190 Grant Fisher: Certain type of dress. Yeah. She told me she's going to 735 00:38:56,310 --> 00:38:59,100 Grant Fisher: the Say Yes To The Dress Shop, which I've never 736 00:38:59,100 --> 00:39:01,319 Grant Fisher: seen, but that's one of the places she's going. 737 00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:02,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's a pretty good thing to do in New York. 738 00:39:02,910 --> 00:39:05,700 Grant Fisher: So, yeah, she's doing that while she's out here. I'll 739 00:39:05,700 --> 00:39:08,910 Grant Fisher: be laying low before the race. But there's just like 740 00:39:08,910 --> 00:39:10,799 Grant Fisher: a buzz of being in New York. There's a chaos 741 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,310 Grant Fisher: to it. There's an energy to it. People are here 742 00:39:14,310 --> 00:39:16,290 Grant Fisher: are just like a little more direct. It's kind of fun. 743 00:39:16,590 --> 00:39:18,450 Grant Fisher: I'm from a small town in the Midwest and it's 744 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:21,930 Grant Fisher: very different than where I grew up. So, I enjoy 745 00:39:21,930 --> 00:39:25,350 Grant Fisher: coming here. I don't think like based on my personality, 746 00:39:25,350 --> 00:39:27,450 Grant Fisher: I don't think I could live here full- time. But 747 00:39:27,540 --> 00:39:30,210 Grant Fisher: coming here to race, it's just that perfect buzz, that 748 00:39:30,210 --> 00:39:34,920 Grant Fisher: perfect energy and you feed off of it. It's infectious. 749 00:39:35,460 --> 00:39:37,379 Rob Simmelkjaer: We love it. Well, we're thrilled to have you here. 750 00:39:37,530 --> 00:39:40,439 Rob Simmelkjaer: We're going to open it up for some questions from 751 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:46,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: the audience for two- time Olympic medalist, world record holder, 752 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:50,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: Grant Fisher. Who's got a question out there for this 753 00:39:50,610 --> 00:39:55,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: amazing athlete? We got one here from our friend Jason 754 00:39:55,110 --> 00:39:55,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: from Citizens. 755 00:39:56,250 --> 00:40:00,750 Jason: How has technology changed for you and changed how you 756 00:40:00,750 --> 00:40:02,969 Jason: track your performance? 757 00:40:04,650 --> 00:40:10,080 Grant Fisher: It's changed a lot in the past several years. Specifically, 758 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:14,040 Grant Fisher: watch technology has changed a lot. Heart rate monitoring technology 759 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:17,460 Grant Fisher: has improved a lot. Lactate testing has improved a lot. 760 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:24,960 Grant Fisher: Wearables in general have revolutionized training. People are paying attention 761 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,690 Grant Fisher: to every metric possible. I think sometimes it's too much 762 00:40:27,690 --> 00:40:29,910 Grant Fisher: information. But I think in general, it's been a net 763 00:40:29,910 --> 00:40:35,820 Grant Fisher: positive. And when people are racing now, they're really paying 764 00:40:35,820 --> 00:40:38,580 Grant Fisher: attention to their data almost the way a cyclist might, 765 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:42,360 Grant Fisher: where you know these zones, you know if you can 766 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:44,850 Grant Fisher: hold this effort for a certain amount of time, you 767 00:40:44,850 --> 00:40:48,360 Grant Fisher: can make it to the finish line. Before, people had 768 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:50,160 Grant Fisher: to guess at that. You had to know your body 769 00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:52,620 Grant Fisher: well enough to get it right. I think now you 770 00:40:52,620 --> 00:40:55,890 Grant Fisher: have numbers to back up your feelings and that helps 771 00:40:55,890 --> 00:40:59,310 Grant Fisher: training a lot. It allows you to train harder, more 772 00:40:59,310 --> 00:41:03,000 Grant Fisher: frequently for longer, and you just get better adaptations long- 773 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,630 Grant Fisher: term because of that. And then you have the shoes 774 00:41:06,630 --> 00:41:11,550 Grant Fisher: and the shoes have changed so much. Yes, they allow 775 00:41:11,550 --> 00:41:13,589 Grant Fisher: you to race a little better, but the main thing 776 00:41:13,590 --> 00:41:17,069 Grant Fisher: the shoes allow you to do is train harder without getting 777 00:41:17,070 --> 00:41:20,730 Grant Fisher: injured. Technology in that has shifted a ton lately and 778 00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:24,570 Grant Fisher: there's a lot of regulations around footwear now. It's a 779 00:41:24,570 --> 00:41:26,760 Grant Fisher: little less of the wild west than it was maybe 780 00:41:26,760 --> 00:41:30,480 Grant Fisher: five years ago. Yeah. Technology has shifted people's perception a 781 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:34,080 Grant Fisher: lot. And you see faster times. I think it's partially 782 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,170 Grant Fisher: the shoes. It's partially that people are just able to 783 00:41:37,170 --> 00:41:39,629 Grant Fisher: ride that line for much longer because they have more 784 00:41:39,630 --> 00:41:45,420 Grant Fisher: data. They have a much better idea of sustainable effort 785 00:41:45,780 --> 00:41:48,150 Grant Fisher: that you can get everything out of yourself on race 786 00:41:48,150 --> 00:41:49,890 Grant Fisher: day and not get it wrong. 787 00:41:50,070 --> 00:41:53,190 Jackie Siskind: I'm Jackie Siskind. I'm head of North America sponsorships for 788 00:41:53,190 --> 00:41:59,400 Jackie Siskind: TCS. As you mentioned, you're going into the half a 789 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:03,960 Jackie Siskind: little bit blind without some data and feedback. Is this 790 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:06,900 Jackie Siskind: exciting for you? Is this unsettling? How are you feeling? 791 00:42:07,830 --> 00:42:12,569 Grant Fisher: It's exciting. It's uncharted territory for me. I've never run 792 00:42:12,570 --> 00:42:16,860 Grant Fisher: a half. It's something that I think can be a 793 00:42:16,860 --> 00:42:20,610 Grant Fisher: little intimidating sometimes where I'm up against a world- class 794 00:42:20,610 --> 00:42:23,910 Grant Fisher: field in a month and a half. I don't have 795 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,330 Grant Fisher: a marathon background where I'm used to the roads. I'm 796 00:42:27,330 --> 00:42:30,210 Grant Fisher: used to fueling. I'm used to the hills. I'm even 797 00:42:30,210 --> 00:42:33,780 Grant Fisher: used to an early start. Usually, in track, I'm racing 798 00:42:33,780 --> 00:42:36,060 Grant Fisher: at like 8: 00 p.m. So, this will be a much 799 00:42:36,060 --> 00:42:40,080 Grant Fisher: earlier start. So, a lot of variables that I'll have 800 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:44,700 Grant Fisher: to navigate, but I think I've been able to express 801 00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:47,969 Grant Fisher: this. I look forward to a challenge. I really like 802 00:42:48,210 --> 00:42:51,390 Grant Fisher: that feeling of not knowing if you're going to meet 803 00:42:51,390 --> 00:42:53,550 Grant Fisher: your goal, not knowing if something is going to go 804 00:42:53,550 --> 00:42:56,580 Grant Fisher: wrong. I think I have a lot of confidence in 805 00:42:56,580 --> 00:42:59,759 Grant Fisher: myself, not because I know the half marathon's going to 806 00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:02,580 Grant Fisher: go perfectly, but I know that I've had so many 807 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,739 Grant Fisher: times where things have gone wrong and I've found a 808 00:43:04,739 --> 00:43:07,319 Grant Fisher: way to get it done, that no matter what happens 809 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:10,410 Grant Fisher: out there in the lead up, in the race, that 810 00:43:10,410 --> 00:43:13,560 Grant Fisher: I'll find a way to get things done. And that 811 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:17,520 Grant Fisher: just comes with years of racing and training. It's the 812 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,700 Grant Fisher: same sport, ultimately. You're trying to run a certain distance 813 00:43:20,700 --> 00:43:25,380 Grant Fisher: as fast as you can. And I think with a six- 814 00:43:25,380 --> 00:43:28,050 Grant Fisher: week build where I'm shifting my training a little bit, 815 00:43:28,260 --> 00:43:30,719 Grant Fisher: getting a little more specialized at the half marathon distance 816 00:43:30,750 --> 00:43:33,540 Grant Fisher: and effort, I'll be good to go. But you're right, 817 00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:38,370 Grant Fisher: it's unknown. But if you've ever gone after a goal 818 00:43:38,370 --> 00:43:42,030 Grant Fisher: that you believe is something that you want to do, 819 00:43:42,270 --> 00:43:44,879 Grant Fisher: deep down in your heart, you're into it, you find 820 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,390 Grant Fisher: a way and I'm looking forward to those feelings. 821 00:43:48,390 --> 00:43:52,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: I have another question over here. Yep. 822 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:56,550 Chris: Hi, Chris with Maurten Nutrition. So, my question revolves, so 823 00:43:56,550 --> 00:44:01,380 Chris: you have shoes, you have all the data, so bicarb or not bicarb, 824 00:44:01,500 --> 00:44:04,020 Chris: and have you noticed the effects? 825 00:44:04,860 --> 00:44:12,060 Grant Fisher: Yeah. I use bicarb for my track races. And I 826 00:44:12,060 --> 00:44:14,400 Grant Fisher: think there is an effect, especially for the shorter stuff. 827 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:18,450 Grant Fisher: For the longer stuff, maybe we can talk after this 828 00:44:18,450 --> 00:44:21,150 Grant Fisher: on the applicability for a half marathon or a marathon. 829 00:44:23,010 --> 00:44:27,750 Grant Fisher: With the bicarb, you come with GI concerns, and the 830 00:44:27,750 --> 00:44:31,650 Grant Fisher: longer the race, the bigger those concerns. So, yeah, I 831 00:44:31,650 --> 00:44:35,460 Grant Fisher: use it for all my track races now. Unsponsored, so 832 00:44:35,460 --> 00:44:38,730 Grant Fisher: I do that voluntarily. So, I do believe in the 833 00:44:38,730 --> 00:44:43,469 Grant Fisher: product. And for the half and the full, fueling in 834 00:44:43,469 --> 00:44:47,760 Grant Fisher: general, carb intake becomes really, really important. I didn't mention 835 00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:50,460 Grant Fisher: that on the technology side, but that has changed a 836 00:44:50,460 --> 00:44:53,820 Grant Fisher: ton lately as well. Yeah. That's something that I need 837 00:44:53,820 --> 00:44:56,160 Grant Fisher: to get used to. I did a long run with 838 00:44:56,160 --> 00:45:01,260 Grant Fisher: Connor Mantz about maybe five months ago, and he was 839 00:45:01,260 --> 00:45:03,120 Grant Fisher: drinking out of the bottle and doing it smooth. And 840 00:45:03,300 --> 00:45:06,120 Grant Fisher: I was like choking it down, like gagging on the 841 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:10,260 Grant Fisher: bottle. So, that's something I need to practice. For the 842 00:45:10,260 --> 00:45:12,780 Grant Fisher: half, it's a little less important to be able to 843 00:45:12,780 --> 00:45:15,989 Grant Fisher: get the fluids down. I'll almost certainly take at least 844 00:45:15,989 --> 00:45:20,460 Grant Fisher: a gel during the race and probably one beforehand. But 845 00:45:21,120 --> 00:45:23,520 Grant Fisher: yeah, that's another thing I'll have to navigate and learn. 846 00:45:24,390 --> 00:45:28,410 Grant Fisher: There's all these new dimensions and yeah, bicarb is something 847 00:45:28,410 --> 00:45:29,820 Grant Fisher: that I'll consider for the race. 848 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:34,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. We have another question over here. Hi. 849 00:45:34,590 --> 00:45:37,110 Kristen Mackenzie: Hi, how are you? I'm Kristen Mckenzie from New Balance. 850 00:45:37,410 --> 00:45:40,350 Kristen Mackenzie: Just curious if you have any superstitions before or after 851 00:45:40,350 --> 00:45:40,890 Kristen Mackenzie: a race. 852 00:45:41,580 --> 00:45:44,279 Grant Fisher: I have one and it's that I always tie my 853 00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:46,469 Grant Fisher: right shoe before my left. Kind of a random one. 854 00:45:46,469 --> 00:45:48,450 Grant Fisher: I've been doing that since I was a kid. It 855 00:45:48,660 --> 00:45:51,960 Grant Fisher: centers myself before a race and just like the routine 856 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:55,109 Grant Fisher: of it, I think just grounds me a little bit 857 00:45:55,110 --> 00:45:58,109 Grant Fisher: and knowing that it's just a race. I've done this 858 00:45:58,110 --> 00:46:03,719 Grant Fisher: 100 times, probably more than that, probably 1, 000 times. And everyone 859 00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:05,969 Grant Fisher: laces up their shoes before a race. Everyone does the 860 00:46:05,969 --> 00:46:08,340 Grant Fisher: same thing. When the gun goes off, we're all the 861 00:46:08,340 --> 00:46:15,000 Grant Fisher: same. And it's just this ... It's more of like a centering 862 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:18,090 Grant Fisher: thing than a superstition, I guess. And it's more of 863 00:46:18,090 --> 00:46:22,620 Grant Fisher: a routine than something that I'm actively thinking about, but 864 00:46:22,620 --> 00:46:23,130 Grant Fisher: that's my one. 865 00:46:24,750 --> 00:46:28,920 Abigail: Hi, I'm Abigail with TCS. I was wondering if you've 866 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,969 Abigail: been reading anything to get you into a different head 867 00:46:32,969 --> 00:46:38,489 Abigail: space as you mentally prep and think towards a longer distance. 868 00:46:39,060 --> 00:46:42,780 Grant Fisher: A little bit. I try to learn from people that 869 00:46:42,780 --> 00:46:45,779 Grant Fisher: have done things that I want to do. So, speaking 870 00:46:45,780 --> 00:46:49,530 Grant Fisher: with guys like Connor and Clayton has been informative. Reading 871 00:46:49,530 --> 00:46:53,070 Grant Fisher: more articles or watching interviews, post- race interviews with people 872 00:46:53,070 --> 00:46:55,830 Grant Fisher: that race on the roads. It's been informative. If I 873 00:46:55,830 --> 00:46:58,050 Grant Fisher: can learn from their mistakes before I even start, that's 874 00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:02,759 Grant Fisher: impactful. More just generally reading, I guess like my New 875 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:06,150 Grant Fisher: Year's resolution was to read 12 books this year and 876 00:47:06,150 --> 00:47:09,570 Grant Fisher: I'm on track right now. So, I've been doing a 877 00:47:09,570 --> 00:47:14,700 Grant Fisher: bit of reading. But yeah, I think in general, like 878 00:47:15,630 --> 00:47:19,469 Grant Fisher: my personalities, I always have this learning mindset. I always 879 00:47:19,469 --> 00:47:23,370 Grant Fisher: want to learn something from what I'm doing. And I 880 00:47:23,370 --> 00:47:25,530 Grant Fisher: think for this half, I'm trying to absorb as much 881 00:47:25,530 --> 00:47:29,129 Grant Fisher: as I can from every media that I can, whether 882 00:47:29,130 --> 00:47:31,500 Grant Fisher: that's a conversation with a guy that's run a half 883 00:47:31,500 --> 00:47:35,430 Grant Fisher: before, whether that's an article I can read, whether that's 884 00:47:35,430 --> 00:47:38,820 Grant Fisher: me on Google Scholar looking at different research articles about 885 00:47:39,989 --> 00:47:44,819 Grant Fisher: different fueling strategies, sauna strategies, heat acclimation strategies, things like 886 00:47:44,820 --> 00:47:50,100 Grant Fisher: that. I always want to ideally learn without making the 887 00:47:50,100 --> 00:47:53,310 Grant Fisher: mistake. That's allowed me to level up quite quickly on 888 00:47:53,310 --> 00:47:56,190 Grant Fisher: the track and hopefully that'll allow me to level up 889 00:47:56,190 --> 00:47:57,150 Grant Fisher: quickly on the roads, too. 890 00:47:57,810 --> 00:48:00,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Well, Grant, we are so thrilled to have 891 00:48:00,660 --> 00:48:03,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: you joining us this march for the United Airlines NYC 892 00:48:04,020 --> 00:48:06,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: Half. It's going to be a big moment for you 893 00:48:06,180 --> 00:48:10,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: in your career as a runner, your road debut. We 894 00:48:10,650 --> 00:48:13,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: wish you luck in New York at Millrose this weekend, 895 00:48:13,020 --> 00:48:15,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: too. Hopefully you have a great meet and we can't wait. 896 00:48:15,570 --> 00:48:16,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks for joining us today. Appreciate it. 897 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:18,270 Grant Fisher: Thanks, guys. 898 00:48:20,489 --> 00:48:23,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a 899 00:48:23,550 --> 00:48:26,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the 900 00:48:26,910 --> 00:48:31,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: transformative power of running. The support of members and donors 901 00:48:31,020 --> 00:48:34,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the 902 00:48:34,230 --> 00:48:38,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and accessible 903 00:48:38,100 --> 00:48:42,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more 904 00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:47,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. All right. Well, as 905 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:51,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: promised, here to help us process what Road Runners members 906 00:48:51,390 --> 00:48:54,779 Rob Simmelkjaer: can learn from Grant Fisher and his career and also 907 00:48:54,780 --> 00:48:58,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: his scratch this past weekend, is New York Roadrunner's own coach, 908 00:48:59,219 --> 00:49:01,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: Ben Delaney, known to most of you as Coach Ben. 909 00:49:01,860 --> 00:49:02,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: What's up, Ben? How are you? 910 00:49:03,630 --> 00:49:05,700 Ben Delaney: Good morning, Rob. Thank you so much for having me 911 00:49:05,700 --> 00:49:10,680 Ben Delaney: on. Grant's interview was amazing. Bummed he wasn't there at 912 00:49:10,680 --> 00:49:13,080 Ben Delaney: Millrose, but so looking forward to seeing him on the 913 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:17,310 Ben Delaney: road March 15th at the United Airlines NYC Half. It's my favorite 914 00:49:17,310 --> 00:49:19,620 Ben Delaney: race on our calendar. I'll preach it to the mountaintops. 915 00:49:19,620 --> 00:49:21,750 Ben Delaney: I love that race and to know Grant's going to 916 00:49:21,750 --> 00:49:24,600 Ben Delaney: make his half marathon debut there even more special. 917 00:49:25,200 --> 00:49:27,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It was great talking to him. I'm a huge 918 00:49:27,690 --> 00:49:30,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: fan of his and can't wait to see him back in 919 00:49:30,180 --> 00:49:33,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York as well. Ben, he talked a lot about 920 00:49:33,630 --> 00:49:36,629 Rob Simmelkjaer: not knowing how things are going to go sometimes when 921 00:49:36,630 --> 00:49:39,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: he races. I mean, this is someone who races for 922 00:49:39,150 --> 00:49:44,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: a living. This is his job and some days gets 923 00:49:44,550 --> 00:49:46,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: up, doesn't know how things are going to go. This 924 00:49:46,469 --> 00:49:49,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: weekend, got up and decided not to go at all. 925 00:49:50,009 --> 00:49:53,759 Rob Simmelkjaer: And so, what do you take from listening to a guy like 926 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:57,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: Grant Fisher? Talk about that uncertainty that is always a 927 00:49:57,840 --> 00:49:58,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: part of this sport. 928 00:50:00,270 --> 00:50:03,060 Ben Delaney: Yeah. I mean, I took away that he has to look at 929 00:50:03,060 --> 00:50:05,250 Ben Delaney: it very similar to how an everyday Hunter does. He 930 00:50:05,250 --> 00:50:06,960 Ben Delaney: has to make the best call for him. And I think 931 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,779 Ben Delaney: sometimes it's hard. We put that bib on or we 932 00:50:09,780 --> 00:50:11,460 Ben Delaney: have that bib at home and we see a race 933 00:50:11,460 --> 00:50:14,069 Ben Delaney: coming up and we worked hard to get to that 934 00:50:14,070 --> 00:50:16,380 Ben Delaney: start line. The last thing we want to do is 935 00:50:16,380 --> 00:50:18,630 Ben Delaney: not get to that start line because ultimately, we want to 936 00:50:18,630 --> 00:50:20,550 Ben Delaney: get to that finish line as well. But I think 937 00:50:20,550 --> 00:50:23,910 Ben Delaney: sometimes you have to just step back and say, " Okay. Today is 938 00:50:23,910 --> 00:50:25,710 Ben Delaney: not my day. If I put that bib on and 939 00:50:25,710 --> 00:50:28,830 Ben Delaney: went for the race, would it be the race effort 940 00:50:28,830 --> 00:50:30,480 Ben Delaney: that I hoped? What could I learn from it?" And then 941 00:50:30,600 --> 00:50:33,300 Ben Delaney: Grant really talked about that as well. He tries to 942 00:50:33,300 --> 00:50:35,460 Ben Delaney: learn from every moment he has and learns before he 943 00:50:35,460 --> 00:50:38,040 Ben Delaney: gets out there, so he has as much success. And 944 00:50:38,040 --> 00:50:40,920 Ben Delaney: sometimes that success, I think as hard as it is for 945 00:50:40,920 --> 00:50:44,250 Ben Delaney: some people is just to say, " Not today. I'm going 946 00:50:44,250 --> 00:50:46,830 Ben Delaney: to try again for tomorrow." That includes in your training 947 00:50:46,830 --> 00:50:49,469 Ben Delaney: as well as in your pacing. We have to be 948 00:50:49,469 --> 00:50:52,050 Ben Delaney: kind to our bodies. Our bodies give us so much, 949 00:50:52,500 --> 00:50:54,360 Ben Delaney: but I think we have to remember we have to give back 950 00:50:54,719 --> 00:50:56,700 Ben Delaney: and it's telling us stuff and we have to be 951 00:50:56,700 --> 00:50:59,460 Ben Delaney: willing to listen. I think that's the hard part as runners is 952 00:50:59,790 --> 00:51:01,770 Ben Delaney: we don't always like what we hear. We have to 953 00:51:01,770 --> 00:51:04,170 Ben Delaney: listen to that because if we don't, we don't want 954 00:51:04,170 --> 00:51:06,719 Ben Delaney: to have something go wrong. And so, I think as granted on it, 955 00:51:06,810 --> 00:51:09,029 Ben Delaney: you have to listen to our body. The feedback loop 956 00:51:09,030 --> 00:51:11,460 Ben Delaney: is there. He talked about some data in the interview and 957 00:51:11,460 --> 00:51:13,950 Ben Delaney: the other side and it's like the data's there, the 958 00:51:13,950 --> 00:51:17,850 Ben Delaney: information's there. It's do we choose? And when we choose 959 00:51:17,850 --> 00:51:20,760 Ben Delaney: to listen to that, will that play into a larger 960 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:24,390 Ben Delaney: success looking at macros, micros and mesocycles, the big picture 961 00:51:24,390 --> 00:51:27,750 Ben Delaney: sometimes, just step back and say, " You know what? I'm going to fight. I'm going to 962 00:51:27,810 --> 00:51:29,310 Ben Delaney: live to fight another day," as they say. 963 00:51:29,850 --> 00:51:32,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It's interesting. We have access to a lot more 964 00:51:32,940 --> 00:51:35,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: data about our bodies than we used to. If we 965 00:51:35,850 --> 00:51:39,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: are wearing all the various devices and wearables that are 966 00:51:39,630 --> 00:51:42,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: out there, you've got the whoops of the world. Here 967 00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:45,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: I am with my aura ring on right now. And 968 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:48,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm still actually fairly new to wearing this ring. I 969 00:51:48,060 --> 00:51:50,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: don't quite always know what to make of what it 970 00:51:50,790 --> 00:51:54,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: tells me or whether to buy it or believe it. 971 00:51:54,090 --> 00:51:55,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: Sometimes it'll tell me I need to take it easy 972 00:51:55,710 --> 00:51:57,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: and I'm like, " Wait, I feel great today." Sometimes it's 973 00:51:57,660 --> 00:52:00,239 Rob Simmelkjaer: the opposite. It says, " Go, go, go big today." And 974 00:52:00,239 --> 00:52:03,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm like, " I don't think so." But what are some 975 00:52:03,930 --> 00:52:08,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: signs, whether it's data or just how you feel that 976 00:52:08,940 --> 00:52:12,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: runners might consider hearing when it comes to making a 977 00:52:12,870 --> 00:52:16,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: decision about whether to go or maybe whether to just take 978 00:52:16,830 --> 00:52:17,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: it easy? 979 00:52:18,300 --> 00:52:20,700 Ben Delaney: It's funny, one of the jokes I make with a lot of our runners, whether 980 00:52:20,700 --> 00:52:22,260 Ben Delaney: it be for team for kids or for group training 981 00:52:22,260 --> 00:52:25,110 Ben Delaney: or anybody I see out there is, if our wearable 982 00:52:25,110 --> 00:52:27,450 Ben Delaney: device is telling us, " Your BO2 max is this, your 983 00:52:27,450 --> 00:52:30,270 Ben Delaney: trainee is peaking." You're just all on board. But when 984 00:52:30,270 --> 00:52:32,219 Ben Delaney: it says, " Your body battery was a little low or 985 00:52:32,219 --> 00:52:34,080 Ben Delaney: your sleep wasn't very good, take a rest day," you 986 00:52:34,080 --> 00:52:36,600 Ben Delaney: questioned it. And I think it's funny how runners like, " Oh, 987 00:52:36,780 --> 00:52:38,640 Ben Delaney: I believe what I want, what I want." And it's 988 00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:41,190 Ben Delaney: like, come on, if you believe it for one, you 989 00:52:41,190 --> 00:52:44,310 Ben Delaney: have to believe it for the other. It's not a if- 990 00:52:44,310 --> 00:52:47,310 Ben Delaney: then statement or, " Hey, it goes both ways." And Grant 991 00:52:47,310 --> 00:52:50,760 Ben Delaney: talked about the feeling that he gets when he looks 992 00:52:50,760 --> 00:52:53,640 Ben Delaney: at the NYC Half, because there's so much unknown. And I think 993 00:52:53,640 --> 00:52:55,440 Ben Delaney: that's true when we look at our training and look at 994 00:52:55,440 --> 00:52:57,090 Ben Delaney: our running, there's a feeling that we have and you 995 00:52:57,090 --> 00:52:59,520 Ben Delaney: have to listen to your body and you'll know. I 996 00:52:59,520 --> 00:53:01,350 Ben Delaney: mean, you'll strap on your shoes. And Rob, you just 997 00:53:01,350 --> 00:53:04,110 Ben Delaney: touched on it. Some days you step outside and you're just like, " 998 00:53:04,830 --> 00:53:08,580 Ben Delaney: Ah. If you look at a red light, green light, 999 00:53:08,580 --> 00:53:11,730 Ben Delaney: yellow light concept, that's maybe that yellow light in terms 1000 00:53:11,730 --> 00:53:14,580 Ben Delaney: of your training." Like, " Maybe today is either going to 1001 00:53:14,580 --> 00:53:17,489 Ben Delaney: be a nice, easy day, maybe it'll be a run- 1002 00:53:17,489 --> 00:53:19,500 Ben Delaney: walk day, maybe it'll just be a walk. Maybe I'm 1003 00:53:19,500 --> 00:53:21,120 Ben Delaney: going to go back inside and sit on the couch 1004 00:53:21,120 --> 00:53:24,330 Ben Delaney: today." And that's fine too, because the feedback loop is there. 1005 00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:27,359 Ben Delaney: I think Grant touched on that a lot is you 1006 00:53:28,380 --> 00:53:31,379 Ben Delaney: have to balance it all, because everything is a learnable moment. 1007 00:53:31,530 --> 00:53:33,719 Ben Delaney: It's a teachable moment. You have to have the mindset 1008 00:53:33,719 --> 00:53:36,630 Ben Delaney: and the growth to know when it's okay to say, " 1009 00:53:37,110 --> 00:53:39,989 Ben Delaney: Okay. Maybe today's not the speed workout I had planned. 1010 00:53:39,989 --> 00:53:42,630 Ben Delaney: Let me just convert this to a time- based run. 1011 00:53:42,960 --> 00:53:45,600 Ben Delaney: I'm just going to go run for 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back." 1012 00:53:45,870 --> 00:53:47,969 Ben Delaney: I think that sometimes runners think I've got to get mileage 1013 00:53:47,969 --> 00:53:50,880 Ben Delaney: in to make it count or quantify something that we 1014 00:53:50,880 --> 00:53:55,050 Ben Delaney: are. But I think I'm talking about for 30 minutes, that could 1015 00:53:55,050 --> 00:53:58,380 Ben Delaney: be a mile, 2 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, whatever 1016 00:53:58,380 --> 00:54:01,335 Ben Delaney: you do. But I think sometimes just converting small things 1017 00:54:01,335 --> 00:54:03,750 Ben Delaney: to change the mindset to just say, " Okay. Today, I 1018 00:54:03,750 --> 00:54:06,060 Ben Delaney: took care of myself because I think we all agree 1019 00:54:06,060 --> 00:54:10,020 Ben Delaney: we love to run and it's that mental side, that healthy part 1020 00:54:10,020 --> 00:54:12,299 Ben Delaney: of what we love about this sport that we don't 1021 00:54:12,300 --> 00:54:15,900 Ben Delaney: want to neglect or lose if we are not able 1022 00:54:15,900 --> 00:54:16,859 Ben Delaney: to get out and go for a run." 1023 00:54:18,420 --> 00:54:21,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: I meet a lot of people who are in our 1024 00:54:21,390 --> 00:54:26,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: Road Runners community and there are days when maybe they're 1025 00:54:26,190 --> 00:54:30,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: not feeling great, but there are some realities. We've had 1026 00:54:30,540 --> 00:54:33,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: a couple cancellations lately where we haven't run and everybody's 1027 00:54:33,060 --> 00:54:36,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: gotten their Nine Plus One credit. But if you're trying 1028 00:54:36,090 --> 00:54:39,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: to do Nine Plus One and we're running, then you 1029 00:54:40,200 --> 00:54:41,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: got to finish that race to get that Nine Plus 1030 00:54:41,850 --> 00:54:45,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: One credit. For a lot of folks, that's a reason 1031 00:54:45,090 --> 00:54:49,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: to run. But running doesn't necessarily mean going full tilt. 1032 00:54:49,530 --> 00:54:52,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: And I think a lot of folks do have the, 1033 00:54:52,980 --> 00:54:55,620 Rob Simmelkjaer: let's face it, kind of the ego side of running, 1034 00:54:55,620 --> 00:55:00,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: because they're in whatever corral they're in and people are 1035 00:55:00,210 --> 00:55:03,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: looking at their times on the app and they don't 1036 00:55:03,210 --> 00:55:06,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: want to put up a time that doesn't reflect how 1037 00:55:06,330 --> 00:55:09,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: good they are. So, instead of saying, " You know what? I'm 1038 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:11,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: going to just take it easy, really jog this one 1039 00:55:11,850 --> 00:55:15,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: out, finish, but not go hard." They're like, " Once you get into 1040 00:55:15,450 --> 00:55:17,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: that corral, it can be hard," especially when you're in 1041 00:55:17,940 --> 00:55:24,629 Rob Simmelkjaer: a corral that reflects you at your best and you're there and all of 1042 00:55:24,690 --> 00:55:27,839 Rob Simmelkjaer: a sudden, those folks are all running at that usual corral pace 1043 00:55:27,989 --> 00:55:30,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: and it's hard not to get caught up in that sometimes. 1044 00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:34,260 Ben Delaney: It's almost impossible. But as they say, comparison is also 1045 00:55:34,260 --> 00:55:36,570 Ben Delaney: the thief of joy. And I think sometimes when you 1046 00:55:36,570 --> 00:55:40,380 Ben Delaney: look at our larger running schedule, it's hard to race 1047 00:55:40,739 --> 00:55:42,718 Ben Delaney: or not say race nine times, but have a peak 1048 00:55:42,719 --> 00:55:46,020 Ben Delaney: race nine times. And I know you trained really hard for Chicago 1049 00:55:46,020 --> 00:55:49,290 Ben Delaney: last year. You had big lofty goals and sometimes the 1050 00:55:49,290 --> 00:55:51,660 Ben Delaney: day just doesn't provide what you want no matter how 1051 00:55:51,660 --> 00:55:54,270 Ben Delaney: much effort you put into it. And that's why as 1052 00:55:54,270 --> 00:55:57,839 Ben Delaney: coaches, when Steve or Gemma, we talk about ourselves internally, 1053 00:55:57,840 --> 00:56:00,750 Ben Delaney: we say, "Get into your start line." That's goal number one. 1054 00:56:00,750 --> 00:56:02,460 Ben Delaney: Get yourself there in one piece. And then when you're 1055 00:56:02,460 --> 00:56:05,700 Ben Delaney: there, you can decide what will happen on the day. 1056 00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:07,050 Ben Delaney: And there are some days where, hey, you know what? 1057 00:56:07,050 --> 00:56:09,719 Ben Delaney: Today's not going to be a goal race day or 1058 00:56:09,719 --> 00:56:14,219 Ben Delaney: a PR day, but what can I use here from 1059 00:56:14,219 --> 00:56:16,890 Ben Delaney: my training to test some things out? Is it going 1060 00:56:16,890 --> 00:56:19,560 Ben Delaney: to be, was I able to get quicker every mile? 1061 00:56:19,560 --> 00:56:21,330 Ben Delaney: Were they able to progress and get faster, start more 1062 00:56:21,330 --> 00:56:24,510 Ben Delaney: control, build strong, finish fast? Was it able to do that? 1063 00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:27,660 Ben Delaney: So, it's how you approach each race knowing that, okay, 1064 00:56:28,080 --> 00:56:30,239 Ben Delaney: not everything has to be a PR, but I will 1065 00:56:30,239 --> 00:56:32,730 Ben Delaney: say we've all been there. When you're on that PR 1066 00:56:32,730 --> 00:56:34,650 Ben Delaney: arc, when every time you put the bib on and 1067 00:56:34,650 --> 00:56:37,410 Ben Delaney: get in the corral, every race just drops in perfectly. 1068 00:56:37,680 --> 00:56:40,350 Ben Delaney: It's the best feeling in the world. But I think 1069 00:56:40,350 --> 00:56:42,690 Ben Delaney: if you do have bigger goals or races that you're 1070 00:56:42,690 --> 00:56:46,260 Ben Delaney: eyeing, you have to use those other races as tests, 1071 00:56:46,260 --> 00:56:49,440 Ben Delaney: as tools, whether it could be a fueling plan. Am 1072 00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:51,480 Ben Delaney: I getting enough rest before I get out there? Am 1073 00:56:51,480 --> 00:56:52,980 Ben Delaney: I wearing the right clothes that I want to wear, 1074 00:56:52,980 --> 00:56:56,160 Ben Delaney: testing the gear out, making sure that everything is lining 1075 00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:57,660 Ben Delaney: up because those are all things that you can take 1076 00:56:57,660 --> 00:57:01,469 Ben Delaney: away. And Grant talked about that as he looks ... The 1077 00:57:01,469 --> 00:57:03,630 Ben Delaney: people he's talking with right now as he prepares for 1078 00:57:03,630 --> 00:57:07,260 Ben Delaney: his own first half marathon, was that, was getting information. 1079 00:57:07,260 --> 00:57:10,469 Ben Delaney: He likes to learn as much as he can from 1080 00:57:10,469 --> 00:57:12,299 Ben Delaney: those who have done it. So, that when he gets 1081 00:57:12,300 --> 00:57:15,120 Ben Delaney: out there, he is as prepared as he can and he 1082 00:57:15,120 --> 00:57:18,390 Ben Delaney: can learn ideally as he say without making some mistakes. 1083 00:57:18,780 --> 00:57:20,310 Ben Delaney: But I think as runners, if we look at that, 1084 00:57:20,310 --> 00:57:22,320 Ben Delaney: especially if we're doing a Nine Plus One schedule or 1085 00:57:22,680 --> 00:57:26,250 Ben Delaney: trying to race as much as we can, everything is a potential 1086 00:57:26,460 --> 00:57:29,940 Ben Delaney: spot to learn, take away, grow from, so that when 1087 00:57:29,940 --> 00:57:32,250 Ben Delaney: we have that goal race or those races that we 1088 00:57:32,250 --> 00:57:34,800 Ben Delaney: aim for, we can hopefully have as much success on 1089 00:57:34,800 --> 00:57:35,610 Ben Delaney: that day as we can. 1090 00:57:36,300 --> 00:57:39,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: 100%. And that's exactly what you heard Grant talk about 1091 00:57:39,540 --> 00:57:43,439 Rob Simmelkjaer: is what he wanted to get out of the NYC Half. Not 1092 00:57:43,440 --> 00:57:46,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: just time, not just where he finishes, but you're right, 1093 00:57:46,560 --> 00:57:49,919 Rob Simmelkjaer: that point of learning, which is really ... I've never met 1094 00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:52,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: a runner, Ben, who already had it figured out the 1095 00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:55,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: first time. They ran a half or they ran a 1096 00:57:55,350 --> 00:57:57,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: marathon. No matter how much you read or who you talk 1097 00:57:58,140 --> 00:58:01,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: to, there's just always that learning curve, because running these 1098 00:58:01,740 --> 00:58:02,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: distances is hard. 1099 00:58:04,800 --> 00:58:08,669 Ben Delaney: I think that's what draws runners back over and over 1100 00:58:08,670 --> 00:58:11,220 Ben Delaney: is the growth. I mean, I think if you walked into a 1101 00:58:11,220 --> 00:58:14,070 Ben Delaney: room of runners and said, " Anybody ever run their most 1102 00:58:14,070 --> 00:58:16,290 Ben Delaney: perfect race, whether it be a half marathon, a marathon, a 5K, 1103 00:58:16,620 --> 00:58:18,930 Ben Delaney: 10K?" There'd be some people that would put their hands 1104 00:58:18,930 --> 00:58:21,450 Ben Delaney: up because they have probably achieved what they're looking for, 1105 00:58:21,450 --> 00:58:23,850 Ben Delaney: whether it be whatever times they're going for, but they 1106 00:58:23,850 --> 00:58:26,610 Ben Delaney: are still out there. They still come back, because you're 1107 00:58:26,610 --> 00:58:29,610 Ben Delaney: always growing, you're always learning. I think that's the beauty 1108 00:58:29,910 --> 00:58:31,920 Ben Delaney: of this sport and what we get out of it. 1109 00:58:31,920 --> 00:58:33,750 Ben Delaney: I mean, I tend to tell people, I go, running 1110 00:58:33,750 --> 00:58:36,960 Ben Delaney: can be selfish and that's okay, because you do it 1111 00:58:37,200 --> 00:58:41,310 Ben Delaney: 100% for you. It could be the best part of 1112 00:58:41,310 --> 00:58:43,650 Ben Delaney: your day, whether it's on a treadmill, obviously, in the Northeast 1113 00:58:43,650 --> 00:58:46,140 Ben Delaney: this time, probably a lot of us are on treadmills. Or 1114 00:58:46,140 --> 00:58:47,670 Ben Delaney: if you have the chance to go outside or if 1115 00:58:47,670 --> 00:58:49,170 Ben Delaney: you live in a nice tropic area, if you go on 1116 00:58:49,170 --> 00:58:51,810 Ben Delaney: vacation. I mean, I love to run when I travel. 1117 00:58:51,810 --> 00:58:55,050 Ben Delaney: Why? I get to see new places. It makes me slow 1118 00:58:55,050 --> 00:58:58,260 Ben Delaney: down, I think, and also appreciate that moment when I 1119 00:58:58,260 --> 00:59:00,840 Ben Delaney: go somewhere when I haven't run before, that I can just stop 1120 00:59:00,840 --> 00:59:03,720 Ben Delaney: and take a picture or just see something, live in 1121 00:59:03,720 --> 00:59:05,760 Ben Delaney: the moment there. And I think that's what we, as we're running 1122 00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:08,370 Ben Delaney: you have takeaway is that there's always growth. There's always 1123 00:59:08,370 --> 00:59:11,400 Ben Delaney: going to be, hopefully, another race. We always hope that every 1124 00:59:11,400 --> 00:59:14,460 Ben Delaney: time we cross a finish line, there's a race somewhere 1125 00:59:14,460 --> 00:59:16,770 Ben Delaney: down the road for us to try again. I'm sure 1126 00:59:16,770 --> 00:59:18,810 Ben Delaney: Grant feels that way after having to scratch from the 1127 00:59:18,810 --> 00:59:20,910 Ben Delaney: Millrose this past weekend. I'm sure he would've loved nothing 1128 00:59:20,910 --> 00:59:22,860 Ben Delaney: better than to be in there with Cole going for 1129 00:59:22,860 --> 00:59:25,320 Ben Delaney: the 2- mile. I know how competitive Grant is and 1130 00:59:25,320 --> 00:59:27,240 Ben Delaney: how they do that, but I know he's looking forward 1131 00:59:27,240 --> 00:59:30,720 Ben Delaney: to the NYC Half and shifting. He talked about that fashion state 1132 00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:34,320 Ben Delaney: is always going to be another chance, another opportunity, and 1133 00:59:34,320 --> 00:59:35,340 Ben Delaney: just enjoy that. 1134 00:59:35,700 --> 00:59:39,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. I'm curious, you're out there with runners every 1135 00:59:39,240 --> 00:59:44,430 Rob Simmelkjaer: week with our group training classes in Central Park or 1136 00:59:44,430 --> 00:59:48,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: elsewhere. What's the number one thing you're hearing from runners 1137 00:59:48,240 --> 00:59:50,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: right now in New York in terms of the challenge 1138 00:59:50,580 --> 00:59:51,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: of getting through this winter? 1139 00:59:53,700 --> 00:59:58,860 Ben Delaney: Yeah. And it's a challenge is for sure. Last Tuesday 1140 00:59:58,860 --> 01:00:00,660 Ben Delaney: night, we're out there doing a lot of work out. 1141 01:00:00,660 --> 01:00:02,430 Ben Delaney: And I tell people, " Hey, if you can get out 1142 01:00:02,430 --> 01:00:06,420 Ben Delaney: here, you are already earning." If we gave badges out 1143 01:00:06,510 --> 01:00:08,970 Ben Delaney: to people, we would give you a big badge that says, " 1144 01:00:08,970 --> 01:00:11,040 Ben Delaney: You are, you kick butt because you got out here today." 1145 01:00:11,040 --> 01:00:13,110 Ben Delaney: It's hard to get out there when it's 10 degrees 1146 01:00:13,110 --> 01:00:15,120 Ben Delaney: and feels like 5 degrees or whatever we're running in. 1147 01:00:16,470 --> 01:00:18,150 Ben Delaney: But I tell people, I said, " Even if the workout 1148 01:00:18,240 --> 01:00:21,600 Ben Delaney: didn't go case- wise, what you wanted, you probably learned 1149 01:00:21,840 --> 01:00:24,030 Ben Delaney: how many layers you have to wear when you're out 1150 01:00:24,030 --> 01:00:26,850 Ben Delaney: there." So, again, it's always looking at what we can 1151 01:00:26,850 --> 01:00:28,770 Ben Delaney: take away from it. It's not always going to be 1152 01:00:28,950 --> 01:00:31,650 Ben Delaney: pace or speed or however we look at it. But 1153 01:00:31,650 --> 01:00:34,170 Ben Delaney: there's always something of value that you can take out 1154 01:00:34,170 --> 01:00:36,030 Ben Delaney: that you also learn that you can run when it's 1155 01:00:36,120 --> 01:00:39,330 Ben Delaney: 15 degrees outside. That's a win right there, because hopefully 1156 01:00:39,330 --> 01:00:41,130 Ben Delaney: you'll never be faced with a race that will be 1157 01:00:41,130 --> 01:00:43,740 Ben Delaney: that. But let's be honest here, Rob, we fastened seriously 1158 01:00:43,740 --> 01:00:46,110 Ben Delaney: cold weather in the Northeast and all over and it 1159 01:00:46,110 --> 01:00:48,960 Ben Delaney: doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. So, I hear 1160 01:00:49,200 --> 01:00:50,760 Ben Delaney: a lot from the runners is, " Hey, how do I 1161 01:00:50,760 --> 01:00:53,430 Ben Delaney: get through this? What do I got to do?" And 1162 01:00:53,430 --> 01:00:55,740 Ben Delaney: then when you're done, you talk about, " Did you lose feeling 1163 01:00:55,740 --> 01:00:57,840 Ben Delaney: in your extremities? Were you warm enough? Were you too 1164 01:00:57,840 --> 01:01:01,350 Ben Delaney: warm?" And then how can we translate that into what 1165 01:01:01,350 --> 01:01:04,350 Ben Delaney: you may face eventually or possibly in a race? So, 1166 01:01:04,350 --> 01:01:06,810 Ben Delaney: we're always trying to take something back with them to 1167 01:01:06,810 --> 01:01:08,910 Ben Delaney: help them with not only that moment, but down the 1168 01:01:08,910 --> 01:01:09,479 Ben Delaney: road as well. 1169 01:01:09,990 --> 01:01:12,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. Anybody who gets out to get in a 1170 01:01:12,900 --> 01:01:15,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: run right now. And that's where I think some of that group training is 1171 01:01:15,330 --> 01:01:20,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: so valuable. It's hard right now. Having an appointment, having 1172 01:01:20,910 --> 01:01:22,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: a group of people that you know is going to 1173 01:01:22,950 --> 01:01:25,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: be there out there with you, suffering with you, I 1174 01:01:25,680 --> 01:01:28,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: think makes it a lot easier to get out. Because 1175 01:01:28,140 --> 01:01:30,209 Rob Simmelkjaer: to do it on your own right now can be 1176 01:01:30,210 --> 01:01:33,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: really hard. So, I listen. Much respect to everybody out 1177 01:01:33,810 --> 01:01:39,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: there still getting it done, especially outdoors during this winter 1178 01:01:39,090 --> 01:01:42,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: from you know what here in New York City. And 1179 01:01:42,870 --> 01:01:43,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: that includes you, Ben Delaney. 1180 01:01:45,480 --> 01:01:47,940 Ben Delaney: Again, I tell people, I get to, when I'm out 1181 01:01:47,940 --> 01:01:51,690 Ben Delaney: there in group training, I love it. I get to 1182 01:01:51,690 --> 01:01:53,640 Ben Delaney: see somebody and I think is the best part of their 1183 01:01:53,640 --> 01:01:56,070 Ben Delaney: day. And they got out there and you're never going 1184 01:01:56,070 --> 01:01:57,810 Ben Delaney: to be alone when you show up. And I remind people that, " 1185 01:01:58,080 --> 01:01:59,880 Ben Delaney: Hey, you get here, I guarantee you're going to be 1186 01:01:59,880 --> 01:02:02,640 Ben Delaney: somebody, a coach or the runner, another group. Show up. 1187 01:02:02,640 --> 01:02:04,470 Ben Delaney: Show up for yourself. Show for you, show up for one 1188 01:02:04,470 --> 01:02:08,250 Ben Delaney: another." Some days it's going to be just that. And 1189 01:02:08,250 --> 01:02:09,750 Ben Delaney: we're going to laugh, we're going to smile, we're going 1190 01:02:09,750 --> 01:02:11,910 Ben Delaney: to work hard. And when it's over, we're going to 1191 01:02:11,910 --> 01:02:12,840 Ben Delaney: feel like we're heroes. 1192 01:02:13,350 --> 01:02:17,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: Absolutely. Ben, you're a hero, for sure, in helping people 1193 01:02:17,220 --> 01:02:20,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: get through this winter. So, thanks for joining us. Always 1194 01:02:20,070 --> 01:02:22,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: good to have you on and we'll see you out there soon. 1195 01:02:23,610 --> 01:02:24,450 Ben Delaney: Thank you, sir. Have a great day. 1196 01:02:24,750 --> 01:02:26,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Ben Delaney, our head of coaching at New 1197 01:02:26,790 --> 01:02:29,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: York Road Runners. All right. Well, that does it for 1198 01:02:29,250 --> 01:02:31,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: another episode of Set the Pace. We want to thank 1199 01:02:31,410 --> 01:02:35,340 Rob Simmelkjaer: our guest today, Grant Fisher and Coach Ben Delaney. We 1200 01:02:35,340 --> 01:02:38,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: hope to see everybody out there this weekend at the 1201 01:02:38,760 --> 01:02:43,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: Gridiron 4- Miler. Just stay tuned and keep an eye 1202 01:02:43,350 --> 01:02:47,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: on your email, your social media for any announcements about 1203 01:02:47,010 --> 01:02:49,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: that race. We are hopeful, but the weather is what 1204 01:02:49,800 --> 01:02:52,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: it is and we will see what happens. Make sure 1205 01:02:52,800 --> 01:02:56,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: you give us a subscription, a rating, or leave us 1206 01:02:56,250 --> 01:02:58,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: a comment on the podcast so we can hear from you. Tell 1207 01:02:58,860 --> 01:03:01,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: us about how your winter is going as we try 1208 01:03:01,320 --> 01:03:05,729 Rob Simmelkjaer: to all run our way through this winter of 2026. Enjoy those 1209 01:03:05,730 --> 01:03:08,669 Rob Simmelkjaer: miles, be they outside or on a treadmill. We'll see 1210 01:03:08,670 --> 01:03:09,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: you next week.