1 00:00:00,630 --> 00:00:05,609 Rudy Valdez: The only downside for me personally of making this film 2 00:00:05,610 --> 00:00:10,680 Rudy Valdez: is that meeting the people in our film, editing it 3 00:00:11,369 --> 00:00:13,800 Rudy Valdez: and putting it out in the world has really inspired me 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,880 Rudy Valdez: to start running and training for a marathon. And that is 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:19,470 Rudy Valdez: tough, it is very tough. 6 00:00:24,989 --> 00:00:28,080 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey everybody, and welcome to Set the Pace, the official 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,889 Rob Simmelkjaer: podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by Peloton. I'm 8 00:00:31,890 --> 00:00:34,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Road 9 00:00:34,530 --> 00:00:38,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners. June is a sneaky busy month for us at 10 00:00:38,610 --> 00:00:42,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners. People think that it's all about 11 00:00:42,090 --> 00:00:45,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: November here sometimes, but actually the month of June is 12 00:00:45,810 --> 00:00:49,080 Rob Simmelkjaer: intense. We had a lot of races, as you know 13 00:00:49,170 --> 00:00:52,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: if you've been running them. And we finished the month 14 00:00:52,350 --> 00:00:54,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: of June with two of our most celebrated races on 15 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:58,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: back to back days, the Front Runners New York, LGBT 16 00:00:58,830 --> 00:01:02,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: Pride Run on Saturday, June 28th and the Achilles Hope & 17 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: Possibility 4- Miler Presented by TD Bank. That was on 18 00:01:06,270 --> 00:01:10,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: Sunday, June 29th. That brings us to today, Thursday, July 19 00:01:10,890 --> 00:01:13,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: 3rd. And as this episode goes live, many of you 20 00:01:13,950 --> 00:01:18,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: are hopefully enjoying some well- deserved time off, some time 21 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the beach or the pool or wherever you like 22 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: to spend your summer holidays. Each summer we close at 23 00:01:24,330 --> 00:01:27,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners for the entire 4th of July 24 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: week to give everybody here a break. So to make 25 00:01:29,790 --> 00:01:33,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: all that work, we recorded this episode a little bit 26 00:01:33,030 --> 00:01:35,009 Rob Simmelkjaer: early. And as luck would have it, when we sat 27 00:01:35,010 --> 00:01:38,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: down to tape it, my wonderful co- host Peloton instructor 28 00:01:38,130 --> 00:01:41,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: Becs Gentry, she was away on her own summer vacation. 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: But just because the office is quiet doesn't mean exciting 30 00:01:44,700 --> 00:01:46,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: things aren't happening at New York Road Runners. In fact, 31 00:01:47,340 --> 00:01:50,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: this summer marks the launch of something brand new for 32 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: our organization, a new leap into storytelling with the debut 33 00:01:54,180 --> 00:01:57,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: of our new in- house content studio called East 89th 34 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: St Productions. Just a few weeks ago, we kicked it 35 00:02:00,750 --> 00:02:03,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: all off with the premiere of our first documentary short 36 00:02:03,990 --> 00:02:08,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: called Final Finishers at the Tribeca Festival. This was an 37 00:02:08,790 --> 00:02:11,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: awesome night, not just for New York Road Runners, for 38 00:02:11,820 --> 00:02:14,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: our team and for our brand new studio, but also 39 00:02:14,850 --> 00:02:17,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: for our partners at Tribeca Studios for the cast and 40 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: crew of the movie and for New York Road Runners 41 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: Foundation partner, New Balance, who sponsored the after party. And 42 00:02:24,990 --> 00:02:27,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: it was a great after party and a great event. 43 00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:30,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: We had Olympians there, Beverly Ramos, Connor Mantz, and Clayton 44 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:32,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: Young who are all a big, big part of the 45 00:02:32,820 --> 00:02:35,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners family. And of course it wouldn't 46 00:02:35,250 --> 00:02:37,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: be a Road Runners party without our Olympic medalist and 47 00:02:37,980 --> 00:02:41,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: former TCS New York City Marathon champ, Meb Keflezighi who was 48 00:02:41,940 --> 00:02:45,179 Rob Simmelkjaer: there not in his workout gear, but looking very dapper 49 00:02:45,180 --> 00:02:48,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: in a two- piece blue suit. So with that awesome 50 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: night in mind and with all of our races pause 51 00:02:50,700 --> 00:02:53,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: for the 4th of July holiday, we're taking you behind 52 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: the scenes of that documentary, Final Finishers, with an interview 53 00:02:56,910 --> 00:03:00,419 Rob Simmelkjaer: with the film's director Rudy Valdez. Then Meb will be 54 00:03:00,450 --> 00:03:03,419 Rob Simmelkjaer: here with today's Member Moment featuring devoted New York Road 55 00:03:03,419 --> 00:03:06,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners member and a big supporter of the Final Finishers 56 00:03:06,570 --> 00:03:11,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: project, Anne Giovanoni. And finally on this 4th of July, as 57 00:03:11,220 --> 00:03:14,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: the country recovers from a week- long heat dome, we 58 00:03:14,970 --> 00:03:18,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: want to remind you to be hydrated and get your 59 00:03:18,210 --> 00:03:21,360 Rob Simmelkjaer: warm weather acclimation skills up and ready to go. So 60 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: today's Meb Minute will feature Meb's best tips on how 61 00:03:24,630 --> 00:03:25,889 Rob Simmelkjaer: to beat the heat. 62 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,190 Speaker 3: Try the Peloton app for free and access classes for 63 00:03:29,190 --> 00:03:31,889 Speaker 3: every type of runner. Whether you're training for your first 64 00:03:31,889 --> 00:03:35,340 Speaker 3: race or you're a seasoned pro. From outdoor runs and 65 00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:39,450 Speaker 3: intervals to strength, yoga, and stretching, you'll find the perfect 66 00:03:39,450 --> 00:03:42,930 Speaker 3: fit for every part of your routine. Whether it's a 67 00:03:42,930 --> 00:03:45,660 Speaker 3: long run day or you just need a quick five- 68 00:03:45,660 --> 00:03:48,990 Speaker 3: minute reset, the Peloton app meets you where you are 69 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,130 Speaker 3: and helps you become a stronger, faster runner because it's 70 00:03:53,130 --> 00:03:56,700 Speaker 3: designed for someone like you. Try the app free for 71 00:03:56,700 --> 00:03:59,550 Speaker 3: 30 days and download it now from the app store 72 00:03:59,610 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 3: or Google Play. Terms apply. Peloton, the official digital fitness 73 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,330 Speaker 3: partner for New York Road Runners. 74 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: Our guest today is an Emmy Award- winning filmmaker whose 75 00:04:10,110 --> 00:04:14,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: work brings heart, urgency, and humanity to every frame. Rudy 76 00:04:14,700 --> 00:04:19,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: Valdez is known for powerful documentaries like The Sentence, and 77 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,589 Rob Simmelkjaer: We Are: The Brooklyn Saints. And now he's partnered with 78 00:04:22,589 --> 00:04:25,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: us at New York Road Runners to direct Final Finishers, 79 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:30,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: our debut in the documentary film space that is premiering 80 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:33,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the Tribeca Film Festival. It's a look at and 81 00:04:33,450 --> 00:04:35,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: a tribute to the runners who finish at the very 82 00:04:35,850 --> 00:04:39,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: tail end of Marathon Race Day and what their stories 83 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,110 Rob Simmelkjaer: reveal about grit, purpose, and why we all run at 84 00:04:43,110 --> 00:04:46,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: all. Rudy, it's so great to have you. I have to tell 85 00:04:46,020 --> 00:04:49,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: you, I was so thrilled when I heard that you were 86 00:04:50,070 --> 00:04:52,979 Rob Simmelkjaer: going to be directing this film that we're partnering with 87 00:04:52,980 --> 00:04:57,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: Tribeca on because your work is so compelling and so 88 00:04:57,570 --> 00:05:00,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: inspiring. So it's great to have you working with us 89 00:05:00,870 --> 00:05:02,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: on this and great to have you on Set the Pace. 90 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:08,789 Rudy Valdez: No, thank you so much for having me here. And also, I'm completely humbled and flattered that they 91 00:05:08,789 --> 00:05:10,349 Rudy Valdez: would even ask me to be a part of this 92 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,710 Rudy Valdez: film. I'm very grateful for the opportunity. 93 00:05:14,250 --> 00:05:18,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: So tell me about the experience. And for those who haven't had a chance to 94 00:05:18,450 --> 00:05:21,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: see it, and we're recording this a week and change 95 00:05:21,690 --> 00:05:23,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: before the premiere, it's going to come out a little 96 00:05:23,670 --> 00:05:26,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: later, but talk about Final Finishers and what that story's 97 00:05:26,670 --> 00:05:27,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: all about. 98 00:05:28,350 --> 00:05:32,580 Rudy Valdez: I mean it's this interesting story that is for me 99 00:05:33,450 --> 00:05:35,370 Rudy Valdez: and I think for people who watch it who aren't 100 00:05:35,460 --> 00:05:40,320 Rudy Valdez: necessarily lifelong runners, it's such a metaphor for life. It's 101 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,020 Rudy Valdez: this idea of all of these journeys and all these 102 00:05:43,020 --> 00:05:47,760 Rudy Valdez: goals we have in life start with a single step. 103 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,839 Rudy Valdez: And there are always going to be people who say, " You 104 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,330 Rudy Valdez: can't do this," or, " You shouldn't do this," or, " That's 105 00:05:54,330 --> 00:05:57,930 Rudy Valdez: impossible." And the only person who can take that first 106 00:05:57,930 --> 00:06:00,750 Rudy Valdez: step is you. And I think that we do focus 107 00:06:00,750 --> 00:06:02,400 Rudy Valdez: on the running and we focus on the race in 108 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,860 Rudy Valdez: this, but in the back of my mind, the entire 109 00:06:04,860 --> 00:06:07,290 Rudy Valdez: time we were filming and the entire time we were 110 00:06:07,290 --> 00:06:10,289 Rudy Valdez: editing, that was the thing going on in the back 111 00:06:10,290 --> 00:06:13,110 Rudy Valdez: of my mind. It's like it's right there in front 112 00:06:13,110 --> 00:06:16,050 Rudy Valdez: of you. Here's this perfect metaphor of you cannot do 113 00:06:16,050 --> 00:06:18,810 Rudy Valdez: this, and it's like, well, the only person who's going 114 00:06:18,810 --> 00:06:20,640 Rudy Valdez: to let me know whether or not I can do 115 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,830 Rudy Valdez: this or not is myself, and I'm going to take that first 116 00:06:22,830 --> 00:06:28,680 Rudy Valdez: step. I will say the only downside for me personally 117 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,159 Rudy Valdez: of making this film is that meeting the people in 118 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:36,270 Rudy Valdez: our film, editing it and putting it out in the 119 00:06:36,270 --> 00:06:40,410 Rudy Valdez: world has really inspired me to start running and training 120 00:06:40,410 --> 00:06:43,560 Rudy Valdez: for a marathon. And that is tough, it's very tough. 121 00:06:46,110 --> 00:06:48,539 Rob Simmelkjaer: First of all, I am so thrilled to hear you 122 00:06:48,540 --> 00:06:51,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: say that because I was going to ask, you're making this 123 00:06:51,570 --> 00:06:56,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: film about running what you're running experience yourself has been, 124 00:06:56,190 --> 00:06:59,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: and whether this process of putting this film together was 125 00:06:59,910 --> 00:07:02,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: inspiring you at all to run. So tell me about that. 126 00:07:05,610 --> 00:07:08,250 Rudy Valdez: I ran quite a bit when I was younger, never 127 00:07:08,250 --> 00:07:10,980 Rudy Valdez: on a team and never for a school, but I 128 00:07:10,980 --> 00:07:12,930 Rudy Valdez: loved to just go out and run in high school and 129 00:07:13,020 --> 00:07:16,740 Rudy Valdez: college. And I moved to New York City shortly after 130 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:20,700 Rudy Valdez: college and was very fortunate enough to live in various 131 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:23,610 Rudy Valdez: parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn throughout the 20 years I 132 00:07:23,610 --> 00:07:27,540 Rudy Valdez: was there, always kind of near the route of the 133 00:07:27,540 --> 00:07:30,600 Rudy Valdez: New York Marathon. So every year was this constant reminder 134 00:07:30,630 --> 00:07:34,560 Rudy Valdez: of this amazing thing that happens, this amazing melting pot 135 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,860 Rudy Valdez: that New York City is, how communities come together. It 136 00:07:37,860 --> 00:07:41,700 Rudy Valdez: was always this really inspiring thing for me. And every 137 00:07:41,700 --> 00:07:44,250 Rudy Valdez: year I would watch it and say, "Oh, that would be 138 00:07:44,250 --> 00:07:46,950 Rudy Valdez: amazing to be able to run this race. That would 139 00:07:46,950 --> 00:07:51,450 Rudy Valdez: be really, really amazing." And of course work and life 140 00:07:51,450 --> 00:07:53,280 Rudy Valdez: gets in the way and I never got around to 141 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,390 Rudy Valdez: it. Then I got injured in 2013, '14, I hurt my knee 142 00:07:57,390 --> 00:07:59,250 Rudy Valdez: pretty bad. And that kind of set me back and 143 00:08:01,140 --> 00:08:03,030 Rudy Valdez: always in the back of my mind, though. And then 144 00:08:03,390 --> 00:08:06,330 Rudy Valdez: this project comes up and I'm watching the people who 145 00:08:06,330 --> 00:08:08,280 Rudy Valdez: are in front of my camera and who are telling 146 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:12,900 Rudy Valdez: me these amazing stories and I'm like, " Wow, it's now 147 00:08:12,900 --> 00:08:17,310 Rudy Valdez: or never." So I'm trying, I'm trying. 148 00:08:17,670 --> 00:08:20,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: I love it. Well, we'll definitely get back to that 149 00:08:20,250 --> 00:08:24,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: because maybe that'll be the sequel is Rudy Valdez finishes 150 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: the TCS New York City Marathon. So talk a bit, Rudy, 151 00:08:28,890 --> 00:08:33,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: about the people you followed. We at Road Runners, we 152 00:08:33,780 --> 00:08:37,559 Rob Simmelkjaer: talk a lot about inclusion in the sport of running 153 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: and how anybody can be a runner and how the marathon 154 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: can be for anyone. And that's really what this film's about 155 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:50,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: is these people with these stories of setback and challenges 156 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:54,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: and then triumph who find their way to the finish 157 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: line of the marathon. Just tell a little bit about 158 00:08:57,780 --> 00:09:00,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: the folks that you've had a chance to spend time 159 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:03,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: with and why people should be interested in their stories. 160 00:09:05,190 --> 00:09:09,000 Rudy Valdez: It's interesting. When this project first came about, I have 161 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,329 Rudy Valdez: a good friend of mine, Tim O'Hare, who is a 162 00:09:12,330 --> 00:09:14,670 Rudy Valdez: lifelong runner, and he's the person that I would always 163 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:16,349 Rudy Valdez: turn to whenever I was like, " Maybe I want to 164 00:09:16,350 --> 00:09:19,079 Rudy Valdez: run, maybe I don't." And I told him what this 165 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,179 Rudy Valdez: film was and what it was about, and the first thing 166 00:09:21,179 --> 00:09:24,479 Rudy Valdez: he said was, " Have you ever talked to Martinus?" And 167 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,689 Rudy Valdez: I was like, " Actually, he's on our list." He knew 168 00:09:27,690 --> 00:09:31,949 Rudy Valdez: right away. Even though Tim was an elite runner and 169 00:09:31,950 --> 00:09:34,319 Rudy Valdez: ran in college and did all these things, he immediately 170 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:39,329 Rudy Valdez: knew Martinus's story and he was like, " This is why 171 00:09:39,330 --> 00:09:42,120 Rudy Valdez: people run. This is the amazing part of running that you 172 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,530 Rudy Valdez: don't always get to see." And right then I was like- 173 00:09:46,530 --> 00:09:49,559 Rob Simmelkjaer: This is Martinus, the founder I think of the Slow AF Run 174 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:51,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: Club and one of the runners that you profile. 175 00:09:52,770 --> 00:09:56,189 Rudy Valdez: Yeah. And so immediately I was like, " Oh, there's something 176 00:09:56,190 --> 00:09:59,940 Rudy Valdez: here. It's not just this tiny little factor of people 177 00:09:59,940 --> 00:10:03,900 Rudy Valdez: that nobody knows about. Runners know about them and cheer 178 00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:06,150 Rudy Valdez: them on." And I was like, " Wow, what a heartwarming 179 00:10:06,809 --> 00:10:09,840 Rudy Valdez: idea that everybody is included in this thing." And so 180 00:10:10,170 --> 00:10:13,860 Rudy Valdez: we profiled Martinus who has an amazing story and was basically 181 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:17,670 Rudy Valdez: told by a doctor, not only should he not run, 182 00:10:17,970 --> 00:10:21,600 Rudy Valdez: but he would probably die if he did. And he said, " 183 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,620 Rudy Valdez: You know what? I'm going to run a marathon." It's 184 00:10:25,620 --> 00:10:29,250 Rudy Valdez: amazing how he said, " One day I got up and 185 00:10:29,250 --> 00:10:32,850 Rudy Valdez: I ran for 15 seconds." And he's like, " That's all 186 00:10:32,850 --> 00:10:34,770 Rudy Valdez: I could do. And the next day I ran for 187 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,550 Rudy Valdez: 30." And you realize that while some people can get 188 00:10:38,550 --> 00:10:41,699 Rudy Valdez: up and run a mile or 10 miles, some people 189 00:10:41,700 --> 00:10:44,370 Rudy Valdez: have to start with 15 seconds and some people have 190 00:10:44,370 --> 00:10:46,950 Rudy Valdez: to build up to that. But in the grand scheme 191 00:10:46,950 --> 00:10:49,110 Rudy Valdez: of things, they're all running the same race. They're all 192 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:52,650 Rudy Valdez: running the same marathon, the same road, the same track. 193 00:10:52,650 --> 00:10:56,400 Rudy Valdez: And so Martinus is one of them. Michael, who is 194 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:01,230 Rudy Valdez: another person that we profile who runs for Achilles, he's 195 00:11:01,230 --> 00:11:03,329 Rudy Valdez: got a fascinating story because he was a runner in 196 00:11:03,330 --> 00:11:06,915 Rudy Valdez: high school and was one of these people who ran 197 00:11:06,915 --> 00:11:10,380 Rudy Valdez: the marathon many, many times and then had a sickness 198 00:11:10,380 --> 00:11:12,569 Rudy Valdez: come over him and he had to sort of relearn 199 00:11:12,570 --> 00:11:16,679 Rudy Valdez: to walk, relearn to use a fork, relearn to do 200 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:18,660 Rudy Valdez: all these things. And in the back of his mind, what 201 00:11:18,660 --> 00:11:22,920 Rudy Valdez: he was always looking to return to was, " Can I 202 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,579 Rudy Valdez: run a marathon again?" And he does, and it's fascinating 203 00:11:26,580 --> 00:11:30,450 Rudy Valdez: to see how these little realizations. It started with him 204 00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:34,020 Rudy Valdez: learning to walk with a walker in his hallway of 205 00:11:34,020 --> 00:11:38,550 Rudy Valdez: his apartment building in New York, and he said, " Wow, 206 00:11:38,550 --> 00:11:43,800 Rudy Valdez: I just walked a mile." He's like, " That's one mile 207 00:11:43,980 --> 00:11:48,719 Rudy Valdez: towards a marathon." And you just see them slowly build. And Janelle 208 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:53,400 Rudy Valdez: is another person who we profile in this, and she 209 00:11:54,030 --> 00:11:57,270 Rudy Valdez: is somebody who volunteered for many years at the New 210 00:11:57,270 --> 00:12:02,640 Rudy Valdez: York Marathon and loved being that final person who handed 211 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,010 Rudy Valdez: the medals out at the very end and cheering for 212 00:12:05,010 --> 00:12:06,960 Rudy Valdez: the people who were doing these amazing things. And she 213 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,230 Rudy Valdez: finally said to herself, " I love being a volunteer and 214 00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:12,240 Rudy Valdez: I love handing out these medals, but I have the 215 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,309 Rudy Valdez: heart of a runner and I want to be one of 216 00:12:14,309 --> 00:12:18,719 Rudy Valdez: these people receiving the medals." It's just watching the journeys 217 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,079 Rudy Valdez: of the people that we were fortunate enough to profile, it's 218 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:27,780 Rudy Valdez: so inspiring. And I'm sorry to the New York Marathon 219 00:12:28,110 --> 00:12:29,940 Rudy Valdez: because you're probably going to get a big influx of 220 00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:33,000 Rudy Valdez: people wanting to run this, and I don't know if that's 221 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,190 Rudy Valdez: a good thing or a bad thing. But hopefully this 222 00:12:35,190 --> 00:12:37,860 Rudy Valdez: inspires people to get up and chase this thing if 223 00:12:37,860 --> 00:12:38,880 Rudy Valdez: they always wanted to do it. 224 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: And that's really, Rudy, what this is all about. You 225 00:12:42,690 --> 00:12:45,569 Rob Simmelkjaer: kind of said it, why we're doing this, why we 226 00:12:45,570 --> 00:12:49,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: think that creating content and it's telling stories like this 227 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,679 Rob Simmelkjaer: is part of our mission at New York Road Runners 228 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:57,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: to create healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative 229 00:12:57,030 --> 00:13:02,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: power of running. It really is all about getting everybody 230 00:13:02,010 --> 00:13:05,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: to see themselves as a potential runner, as someone who 231 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: could take on the challenge of whether it's running the 232 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: marathon or a half- marathon or any distance. Do you 233 00:13:12,540 --> 00:13:15,689 Rob Simmelkjaer: think that that's something that people will come away with? 234 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: What do you hope they'll come away with when they watch this film? 235 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,990 Rudy Valdez: I hope so. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think that 236 00:13:21,990 --> 00:13:24,240 Rudy Valdez: that is a big part. Again, we're using this as 237 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,179 Rudy Valdez: a metaphor for all of the things. I mean in order 238 00:13:27,179 --> 00:13:30,540 Rudy Valdez: sometimes to be it, you have to see it. And I think 239 00:13:30,570 --> 00:13:36,209 Rudy Valdez: when people Google runners or Google the New York Marathon 240 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,770 Rudy Valdez: or any marathon for that matter, you are generally met 241 00:13:40,770 --> 00:13:43,590 Rudy Valdez: with a certain body type or a certain type of 242 00:13:43,590 --> 00:13:47,520 Rudy Valdez: person who you relate to that. And I think this 243 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,459 Rudy Valdez: does a wonderful job of saying, even in the film, 244 00:13:51,090 --> 00:13:53,490 Rudy Valdez: yes, there are these elite runners, there are these people 245 00:13:53,490 --> 00:13:57,240 Rudy Valdez: who are going to run, I don't even know, insane times 246 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,059 Rudy Valdez: that I probably can't even drive that fast, the 26. 247 00:14:00,059 --> 00:14:05,010 Rudy Valdez: 2 miles. But for the most part, there are other 248 00:14:05,010 --> 00:14:07,605 Rudy Valdez: people running too who look a lot like, I wouldn't 249 00:14:07,605 --> 00:14:13,590 Rudy Valdez: say you, but maybe me and I guess other people, 250 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:17,309 Rudy Valdez: all the body types. And I think that's a thing that 251 00:14:17,309 --> 00:14:19,230 Rudy Valdez: I think people will need to see and need to 252 00:14:19,230 --> 00:14:22,020 Rudy Valdez: experience in order to realize they are a part of 253 00:14:22,020 --> 00:14:25,380 Rudy Valdez: this community as well, and they can be, especially with 254 00:14:25,380 --> 00:14:29,310 Rudy Valdez: things like Slow AF Run Club. The whole purpose of 255 00:14:29,310 --> 00:14:32,130 Rudy Valdez: that is to say, " We can all do this." If 256 00:14:32,130 --> 00:14:34,620 Rudy Valdez: you have the heart of a runner like Janelle, you 257 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:37,170 Rudy Valdez: can also do this. And I think that's so important 258 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:40,710 Rudy Valdez: for everyone to realize. I was somebody who was fairly 259 00:14:40,710 --> 00:14:45,090 Rudy Valdez: athletic growing up and kept in pretty good shape for 260 00:14:45,090 --> 00:14:48,660 Rudy Valdez: quite a while, and I even thought, I'm not a 261 00:14:48,660 --> 00:14:52,350 Rudy Valdez: runner. Even though I ran in high school in college, 262 00:14:52,710 --> 00:14:55,800 Rudy Valdez: I even thought I'm not a runner. And I think 263 00:14:56,460 --> 00:14:58,080 Rudy Valdez: this has been a real eye- opener for me that 264 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,450 Rudy Valdez: I can get back up and I can start doing this again. 265 00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:05,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: Rudy, I'm curious about the way you go about telling 266 00:15:05,670 --> 00:15:11,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: these stories. It's such an interesting art form, documentary filmmaking. 267 00:15:11,130 --> 00:15:14,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: You've got real people, not actors you're dealing with. There's 268 00:15:14,130 --> 00:15:20,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: no script, there's no kind of preordained storyline that you 269 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: as a director are trying to follow. You're kind of 270 00:15:23,670 --> 00:15:26,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: meeting these people and finding the best way to tell 271 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:30,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: all of their stories in one pretty short film. This is 272 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: a short documentary, so less than 30 minutes. How do 273 00:15:33,810 --> 00:15:37,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: you do that? What's the process of going and trying 274 00:15:37,410 --> 00:15:40,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: to tease out the best and the most inspiring and 275 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: most interesting of all of these stories and then weaving it 276 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: all together into one film? 277 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:51,870 Rudy Valdez: I think it's a a delicate balance of really understanding the people 278 00:15:51,870 --> 00:15:56,520 Rudy Valdez: that you're going to work with, film with, the sort 279 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,740 Rudy Valdez: of overall concept of what you're there to do, and 280 00:15:58,740 --> 00:16:02,760 Rudy Valdez: try to know from every angle what that means. But 281 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:06,479 Rudy Valdez: at the same time, approaching the people, approaching the event, 282 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,020 Rudy Valdez: approaching your questions, approaching the way you speak to people 283 00:16:10,890 --> 00:16:13,800 Rudy Valdez: as if you know nothing. Because I don't want to 284 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,080 Rudy Valdez: come into not only this film, but any film and 285 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,300 Rudy Valdez: pretend like I'm the expert and I'm the one who's 286 00:16:18,300 --> 00:16:21,630 Rudy Valdez: going to tell you what this story means. I'm not 287 00:16:21,630 --> 00:16:25,020 Rudy Valdez: the expert on Janelle, I'm not the expert on Martinus. And 288 00:16:25,020 --> 00:16:27,180 Rudy Valdez: if I come in saying, " Here are the things that 289 00:16:27,180 --> 00:16:29,670 Rudy Valdez: I need you to say," in the back of my 290 00:16:29,670 --> 00:16:32,610 Rudy Valdez: mind, I'm thinking, " What are all the things that they 291 00:16:32,610 --> 00:16:34,350 Rudy Valdez: need to say or want to say or should be 292 00:16:34,350 --> 00:16:36,900 Rudy Valdez: saying that I am not, that I have blind spots 293 00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:39,870 Rudy Valdez: for?" So it's that combination of understanding that you have 294 00:16:39,870 --> 00:16:41,760 Rudy Valdez: to put together a story and you have a beginning, 295 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,490 Rudy Valdez: middle, and end here, but really it needs to be 296 00:16:44,490 --> 00:16:48,420 Rudy Valdez: led by the people who are wonderful enough to allow 297 00:16:48,420 --> 00:16:51,150 Rudy Valdez: you to tell their story and really respecting that. And 298 00:16:51,150 --> 00:16:55,170 Rudy Valdez: so that's not always great when you're pitching a film 299 00:16:55,170 --> 00:16:58,440 Rudy Valdez: and they're like, " What are you going to do?" And you're like, " I 300 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,810 Rudy Valdez: don't know. I'm going to go in and find it." People don't 301 00:17:00,810 --> 00:17:02,340 Rudy Valdez: always have a lot of faith in that. But I 302 00:17:02,340 --> 00:17:06,180 Rudy Valdez: think you do it enough times, people start to understand 303 00:17:06,180 --> 00:17:09,929 Rudy Valdez: that there is a level of really going in there 304 00:17:09,930 --> 00:17:13,500 Rudy Valdez: with your head on a swivel, asking questions, but more 305 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:17,280 Rudy Valdez: importantly, listening to answers and letting that navigate you to 306 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,369 Rudy Valdez: the next stage of telling somebody's story. 307 00:17:20,669 --> 00:17:23,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, it's so interesting to me. I mean, you can 308 00:17:23,250 --> 00:17:27,149 Rob Simmelkjaer: have maybe kind of a plan coming in, but probably 309 00:17:27,150 --> 00:17:29,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: not too much of a plan because you really need 310 00:17:29,250 --> 00:17:34,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: to go where the story takes you. I guess editing 311 00:17:34,740 --> 00:17:38,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: must be a huge part of that process, right? You 312 00:17:38,190 --> 00:17:41,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: get the conversations, you get the material, but ultimately, is 313 00:17:41,820 --> 00:17:45,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: it really the choices you make in the editing room 314 00:17:45,060 --> 00:17:48,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: that determine how the story flows? 315 00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:51,240 Rudy Valdez: I think it's a combination of a lot of things. 316 00:17:51,330 --> 00:17:54,270 Rudy Valdez: Certainly the editor plays a huge part in this, and 317 00:17:54,270 --> 00:17:57,630 Rudy Valdez: I think that for me, I'm fortunate enough to work 318 00:17:57,630 --> 00:18:00,179 Rudy Valdez: on a lot of projects, and people always ask me, " 319 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,970 Rudy Valdez: How are you making so many things at once?" And 320 00:18:03,420 --> 00:18:06,090 Rudy Valdez: the answer to that is, I have a wonderful team 321 00:18:06,090 --> 00:18:09,780 Rudy Valdez: of people that I work with fairly often that all 322 00:18:09,780 --> 00:18:13,169 Rudy Valdez: are experts in what they do. My producer, Meghan Schale 323 00:18:13,170 --> 00:18:17,909 Rudy Valdez: on this, and my editor Claire for this, they're amazing filmmakers 324 00:18:17,910 --> 00:18:20,369 Rudy Valdez: and storytellers in their own right. And I think that 325 00:18:20,369 --> 00:18:24,990 Rudy Valdez: I approach the film in the present because I shoot 326 00:18:24,990 --> 00:18:27,060 Rudy Valdez: my own films and I go in there and I 327 00:18:27,330 --> 00:18:29,369 Rudy Valdez: gather the footage. And I have this idea when we're 328 00:18:29,369 --> 00:18:31,980 Rudy Valdez: done shooting kind of what this is, but I don't 329 00:18:31,980 --> 00:18:36,690 Rudy Valdez: necessarily fully dictate that to my producer or my editor. 330 00:18:38,070 --> 00:18:41,460 Rudy Valdez: The next step is them watching the footage and experiencing 331 00:18:41,460 --> 00:18:45,600 Rudy Valdez: the footage and us talking about here's what we're trying 332 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,510 Rudy Valdez: to make. And I don't want to say to my editor, Claire, " 333 00:18:49,230 --> 00:18:53,250 Rudy Valdez: I shot this scene and this is the thing that starts the 334 00:18:53,250 --> 00:18:55,200 Rudy Valdez: film, and this is how I felt on the day," 335 00:18:55,200 --> 00:19:00,180 Rudy Valdez: because that doesn't always one- to- one match the footage 336 00:19:00,330 --> 00:19:02,550 Rudy Valdez: that I got on camera versus how I was feeling in 337 00:19:02,550 --> 00:19:05,010 Rudy Valdez: the day. So I want my editor, my producer and 338 00:19:05,010 --> 00:19:10,320 Rudy Valdez: my story producers, my composers to look at the footage 339 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,359 Rudy Valdez: and find their version of that as well. So it 340 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,080 Rudy Valdez: becomes this real collaborative process of everyone knowing what the 341 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,619 Rudy Valdez: end goal is, what that finish line is, but reaching 342 00:19:19,619 --> 00:19:21,659 Rudy Valdez: it in our own ways and allowing everyone to collaborate 343 00:19:21,660 --> 00:19:23,699 Rudy Valdez: and contribute creatively to that process. 344 00:19:24,570 --> 00:19:28,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, it's a great team you've got. It's a really beautiful 345 00:19:28,350 --> 00:19:30,149 Rob Simmelkjaer: film. I've had a chance to peek at it a 346 00:19:30,150 --> 00:19:33,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: couple of times already before we've even officially premiered it 347 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: as we speak here. But it's beautifully done, and I 348 00:19:37,290 --> 00:19:39,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: know lots of people on the New York Road Runners' 349 00:19:39,570 --> 00:19:42,720 Rob Simmelkjaer: community are really excited to see it. I want to talk about 350 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: you a little bit, Rudy. How did you get into 351 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,939 Rob Simmelkjaer: this business? How did you become a filmmaker? What was 352 00:19:47,940 --> 00:19:48,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: that path like? 353 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:53,790 Rudy Valdez: I moved to New York after college to pursue a 354 00:19:53,790 --> 00:19:58,080 Rudy Valdez: career in writing and acting and comedy, and I was 355 00:19:58,380 --> 00:20:03,119 Rudy Valdez: doing that and acting in plays. I wrote a play 356 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,730 Rudy Valdez: that traveled the country for a little while, and then 357 00:20:05,790 --> 00:20:11,790 Rudy Valdez: something happened in my personal life that made me think, " 358 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,930 Rudy Valdez: Here's a story that I'd love to tell and something 359 00:20:15,930 --> 00:20:17,850 Rudy Valdez: that I'd love to sort of shine a light on." 360 00:20:18,390 --> 00:20:21,659 Rudy Valdez: And so I quit everything. I quit acting. I was 361 00:20:21,660 --> 00:20:23,670 Rudy Valdez: coaching basketball, I was teaching theater, I was doing all 362 00:20:23,670 --> 00:20:26,609 Rudy Valdez: these things, and I quit it all to figure out how 363 00:20:26,609 --> 00:20:29,070 Rudy Valdez: to become a filmmaker so that I could tell the story. 364 00:20:29,070 --> 00:20:34,650 Rudy Valdez: So for about 10 years, I went from an intern 365 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:38,580 Rudy Valdez: to a PA, to a sound mixer, to an editor, 366 00:20:38,580 --> 00:20:41,910 Rudy Valdez: to a producer, to an additional photographer, eventually to becoming 367 00:20:41,910 --> 00:20:45,720 Rudy Valdez: a cinematographer, doing all of those jobs, working one man 368 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:50,340 Rudy Valdez: band, working for other directors, working for people like Robert 369 00:20:50,340 --> 00:20:53,670 Rudy Valdez: De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Pollard, Geeta Gandbhir, Sebastian 370 00:20:53,670 --> 00:20:56,639 Rudy Valdez: Junger, all of these filmmakers while I was secretly making 371 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,310 Rudy Valdez: my own film on the side that was sort of 372 00:20:59,310 --> 00:21:04,109 Rudy Valdez: my passion project. And that film after nine and a 373 00:21:04,109 --> 00:21:08,040 Rudy Valdez: half, almost 10 years, was finally finished. And I was 374 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,790 Rudy Valdez: fortunate enough to get into the Sundance Film Festival and 375 00:21:13,650 --> 00:21:16,680 Rudy Valdez: won the audience award there. It was purchased by HBO, and 376 00:21:16,830 --> 00:21:19,260 Rudy Valdez: I ended up winning a Primetime Emmy for that. And 377 00:21:19,260 --> 00:21:20,250 Rudy Valdez: that was in 2018. 378 00:21:20,310 --> 00:21:22,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: Is that film The Sentence, Rudy? 379 00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:25,020 Rudy Valdez: That's The Sentence. So that was my first film about 380 00:21:25,020 --> 00:21:30,810 Rudy Valdez: my family, and it was really my realization that all 381 00:21:30,810 --> 00:21:33,090 Rudy Valdez: of this work that I'd done as an actor, as 382 00:21:33,090 --> 00:21:35,340 Rudy Valdez: a writer, as a comedian, as all these other things, 383 00:21:35,700 --> 00:21:38,940 Rudy Valdez: as a teacher, all of the tools that I was 384 00:21:38,940 --> 00:21:44,760 Rudy Valdez: able to sharpen and really harness during that process really 385 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,330 Rudy Valdez: translated to filmmaking in a wonderful way. And I loved 386 00:21:48,330 --> 00:21:51,000 Rudy Valdez: it, and I don't want to call it my calling 387 00:21:51,030 --> 00:21:54,960 Rudy Valdez: or anything like that, but it's a place where I 388 00:21:54,990 --> 00:21:58,470 Rudy Valdez: feel very comfortable in life, and that's highlighting other people's 389 00:21:58,470 --> 00:22:00,900 Rudy Valdez: stories and figuring out a way to platform other people. 390 00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:05,010 Rudy Valdez: So it was a long road. It was that classic 391 00:22:05,790 --> 00:22:09,480 Rudy Valdez: overnight thing takes 10 years to be able to do 392 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:13,409 Rudy Valdez: something. But I've been very fortunate since then to, I 393 00:22:13,410 --> 00:22:18,480 Rudy Valdez: think, direct something like 13, 14 other films and a 394 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:23,130 Rudy Valdez: couple of TV series and just continue to tell stories 395 00:22:23,130 --> 00:22:26,280 Rudy Valdez: that I think mean something to at least myself and 396 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:27,600 Rudy Valdez: hopefully to the people who watch it. 397 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:35,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: The Sentence, your breakout film, was obviously really personal, really 398 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: powerful. To those who haven't seen it, I saw it 399 00:22:38,970 --> 00:22:40,919 Rob Simmelkjaer: some years ago, I think when it was first coming 400 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: out. I went back and looked at the trailer just 401 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,409 Rob Simmelkjaer: to re- familiarize myself with it before chatting with you. 402 00:22:46,980 --> 00:22:51,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a story about a mother who gets caught up 403 00:22:51,180 --> 00:22:56,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: in the criminal justice system, and it's due to very 404 00:22:56,220 --> 00:23:01,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: tangential involvement with some people who are in the drug 405 00:23:01,260 --> 00:23:06,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: business. She wasn't really actively participating, but ends up with 406 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:10,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: a really severe sentence. I think it was 15 years, 407 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: or something like that, in prison, and because of that 408 00:23:14,820 --> 00:23:19,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: is separated from her children, they're growing up. And just 409 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:25,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: a tragic tale about our society, our criminal justice system, 410 00:23:25,980 --> 00:23:28,649 Rob Simmelkjaer: and the things that can happen to people. Can you 411 00:23:28,650 --> 00:23:32,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: talk about that, your family too, and how it all 412 00:23:32,790 --> 00:23:33,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: related to you? 413 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,250 Rudy Valdez: You had a pretty great summary of it. The person, 414 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:45,030 Rudy Valdez: the main character who is serving the prison center, that is 415 00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:49,050 Rudy Valdez: my sister. And so it was truly a film and a 416 00:23:49,050 --> 00:23:52,230 Rudy Valdez: story told from the inside out. And I think for 417 00:23:52,230 --> 00:23:57,660 Rudy Valdez: me, the process of that was very eyeopening and I learned 418 00:23:57,660 --> 00:23:59,550 Rudy Valdez: throughout the process of making that film how to become 419 00:23:59,550 --> 00:24:04,200 Rudy Valdez: a filmmaker. I think most importantly, I wanted to go 420 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,719 Rudy Valdez: forth and tell that story about my sister, not in 421 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,949 Rudy Valdez: the sense of saying, here's somebody who is innocent and 422 00:24:10,950 --> 00:24:12,570 Rudy Valdez: I'm going to prove her innocence and all these things. 423 00:24:12,570 --> 00:24:15,240 Rudy Valdez: Because in the grand scheme of things like in black 424 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:20,010 Rudy Valdez: and white, my sister was not innocent. However, I wanted 425 00:24:20,010 --> 00:24:24,359 Rudy Valdez: to show people that even though she wasn't innocent, that 426 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:29,520 Rudy Valdez: her sentence was unjust. And I honestly, when that first 427 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,010 Rudy Valdez: happened to her, I thought, " Oh, this was a clerical 428 00:24:32,010 --> 00:24:33,899 Rudy Valdez: error. They're going to figure something out and they're going 429 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:35,550 Rudy Valdez: to say, 'Oh, she shouldn't have gone away for that 430 00:24:35,550 --> 00:24:38,220 Rudy Valdez: long,' and they're going to fix this." And just peeling 431 00:24:38,220 --> 00:24:41,459 Rudy Valdez: back the curtain just a little bit, I realized that 432 00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:43,710 Rudy Valdez: not only did it happen to my sister, but it 433 00:24:43,710 --> 00:24:46,139 Rudy Valdez: was happening to tens of thousands of people across our 434 00:24:46,140 --> 00:24:49,200 Rudy Valdez: country. And so I immediately thought, " Well, I can use this 435 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,919 Rudy Valdez: little story, the story of my sister and her daughters 436 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,770 Rudy Valdez: and our family and tell this little story in a 437 00:24:55,770 --> 00:24:59,490 Rudy Valdez: way that can be emblematic of the larger problem, the 438 00:24:59,490 --> 00:25:06,359 Rudy Valdez: larger scope of this." And I don't know, I think I was lucky 439 00:25:06,390 --> 00:25:09,119 Rudy Valdez: in my approach. I don't know that I was like, " I'm such a genius 440 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:10,800 Rudy Valdez: and I figured out how to do this." I was 441 00:25:11,369 --> 00:25:14,190 Rudy Valdez: very lucky because that little story, this little story about 442 00:25:14,190 --> 00:25:17,310 Rudy Valdez: my sister and her daughters and our family really struck 443 00:25:17,310 --> 00:25:21,330 Rudy Valdez: a chord and I think really hit during a zeitgeist 444 00:25:21,330 --> 00:25:26,220 Rudy Valdez: of criminal justice reform and caught wings and got some 445 00:25:26,310 --> 00:25:30,780 Rudy Valdez: air behind it and really affected a lot of people. 446 00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:35,340 Rudy Valdez: We were quoted in a news article, I think in 447 00:25:35,340 --> 00:25:37,830 Rudy Valdez: the Washington Post. They said, " This little known film is 448 00:25:37,830 --> 00:25:42,000 Rudy Valdez: helping reform the criminal justice system." And we were a 449 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,690 Rudy Valdez: big part of the First Step Act and really changing 450 00:25:45,690 --> 00:25:47,850 Rudy Valdez: the lives of tens of thousands of people by helping 451 00:25:47,850 --> 00:25:53,460 Rudy Valdez: to get that passed through Congress. So it was really 452 00:25:53,460 --> 00:25:58,350 Rudy Valdez: this film school for myself of here's how you can 453 00:25:58,350 --> 00:26:01,080 Rudy Valdez: do it and here's how you learn, but also here's 454 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:05,369 Rudy Valdez: the effect that stories and our own stories and our small stories 455 00:26:05,369 --> 00:26:07,980 Rudy Valdez: can have on the larger population. 456 00:26:09,030 --> 00:26:14,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: That is something about documentary filmmaking especially that really it 457 00:26:14,850 --> 00:26:18,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: can have an impact because you're not seeing something fictional 458 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: where the drama's made up. I mean, this is real 459 00:26:22,890 --> 00:26:25,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: life. This is actually happening. That was really happening to 460 00:26:26,130 --> 00:26:29,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: your family. I hope it's okay if I ask about 461 00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:32,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: your sister where she is now. I don't know, so 462 00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:36,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm asking cold. Tell me about your sister, her daughters. 463 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: What's the situation with your family now? 464 00:26:39,330 --> 00:26:42,330 Rudy Valdez: She's doing really well. She actually was remarried a couple 465 00:26:42,330 --> 00:26:46,050 Rudy Valdez: of years ago to a really wonderful man. It's interesting 466 00:26:46,050 --> 00:26:51,060 Rudy Valdez: because when my film first came out, a lot of 467 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:55,470 Rudy Valdez: people asked me, " How are the girls, her daughters?" And 468 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:00,840 Rudy Valdez: it was interesting because they were still so close to 469 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:04,200 Rudy Valdez: it and so in it still because the film came 470 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,409 Rudy Valdez: out very, very close to everything happening. And I would 471 00:27:07,410 --> 00:27:12,119 Rudy Valdez: say to them, " Right now, they're great, but time will 472 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,090 Rudy Valdez: tell. Time will tell what this truly has, the effects 473 00:27:15,090 --> 00:27:18,300 Rudy Valdez: it has." And to be honest, I think that it 474 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:22,109 Rudy Valdez: was a very bumpy road after the film came out for 475 00:27:22,109 --> 00:27:24,450 Rudy Valdez: her daughters. They were still young and still figuring out 476 00:27:24,450 --> 00:27:28,470 Rudy Valdez: who they were. But I'm happy to say that those 477 00:27:28,470 --> 00:27:32,430 Rudy Valdez: bumpy roads have seemed to smooth out and they're doing 478 00:27:32,430 --> 00:27:35,100 Rudy Valdez: really well. They're spending a lot of time with their 479 00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:38,010 Rudy Valdez: mom, and they're now becoming young adults and going out 480 00:27:38,010 --> 00:27:41,609 Rudy Valdez: into the world. And I think with this added knowledge 481 00:27:41,609 --> 00:27:45,300 Rudy Valdez: that their story matters and that their place in this 482 00:27:45,300 --> 00:27:48,600 Rudy Valdez: world matters because they have proof of that. And so 483 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,619 Rudy Valdez: they're doing great, and I'm always happy to report that everyone's 484 00:27:52,619 --> 00:27:53,280 Rudy Valdez: doing really well. 485 00:27:54,030 --> 00:27:57,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's great. For anyone who hasn't watched it, it's worth 486 00:27:58,350 --> 00:28:00,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: a go back and look at that film, The Sentence, 487 00:28:00,930 --> 00:28:05,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: because there's still a lot that is quite relevant about 488 00:28:05,220 --> 00:28:08,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: that film and what it taught us about the criminal 489 00:28:08,220 --> 00:28:13,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: justice system. Who are your idols? Who are the filmmakers 490 00:28:13,710 --> 00:28:17,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: who influenced you? You mentioned having a chance to work 491 00:28:17,580 --> 00:28:20,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: with people like Robert De Niro and others. You had 492 00:28:20,550 --> 00:28:24,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: some amazing people you were fortunate enough to be exposed 493 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: to at a young age in this business. Who do 494 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:28,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: you think has been the most influential to you? 495 00:28:30,150 --> 00:28:32,850 Rudy Valdez: I mean, I think one- to- one, one of the 496 00:28:32,850 --> 00:28:37,470 Rudy Valdez: people who has really, I don't want to say mentored 497 00:28:37,470 --> 00:28:40,620 Rudy Valdez: me, but really fostered me as a filmmaker and helped 498 00:28:40,620 --> 00:28:43,590 Rudy Valdez: me in many ways as Geeta Gandbhir, who is one 499 00:28:43,590 --> 00:28:46,200 Rudy Valdez: of my favorite people on this planet, but just also 500 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:51,240 Rudy Valdez: this amazing filmmaker. She actually directed the Robert De Niro 501 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:54,690 Rudy Valdez: film that I shot about Robert De Niro's father. It was 502 00:28:54,690 --> 00:28:58,440 Rudy Valdez: a documentary. So she's somebody who has really shown me 503 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,170 Rudy Valdez: the ropes in this business, but as a storyteller and 504 00:29:01,770 --> 00:29:05,520 Rudy Valdez: as a filmmaker. But when I go back to what 505 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,270 Rudy Valdez: has truly inspired me, I think about people like John 506 00:29:09,270 --> 00:29:14,280 Rudy Valdez: Leguizamo. He's somebody who, before I moved to New York, 507 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:18,870 Rudy Valdez: I was able to get this bootleg copy of a show, 508 00:29:18,870 --> 00:29:21,030 Rudy Valdez: Freak, on VHS that a friend of mine gave me. 509 00:29:21,450 --> 00:29:26,220 Rudy Valdez: And I remember watching that and seeing him tell this story 510 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,490 Rudy Valdez: from his POV, his personal story, and have people in 511 00:29:29,490 --> 00:29:32,310 Rudy Valdez: the palm of their hands and sharing all these experiences 512 00:29:32,310 --> 00:29:36,330 Rudy Valdez: that you don't normally get to see and watch it 513 00:29:36,330 --> 00:29:39,600 Rudy Valdez: affect people. And I think most importantly for me to see 514 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,110 Rudy Valdez: somebody who looked like me doing that, commanding a stage 515 00:29:43,110 --> 00:29:47,430 Rudy Valdez: and telling that story, and that was my real inspiration to 516 00:29:47,430 --> 00:29:49,380 Rudy Valdez: even come to New York City. Not that I ever 517 00:29:49,380 --> 00:29:51,510 Rudy Valdez: thought that I could go and do any of the 518 00:29:51,510 --> 00:29:53,850 Rudy Valdez: things that John Leguizamo was doing, but at the very 519 00:29:53,850 --> 00:29:57,060 Rudy Valdez: least I saw that it was possible. And I wanted 520 00:29:57,060 --> 00:30:00,360 Rudy Valdez: to see what I could do if I went and 521 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,050 Rudy Valdez: challenged myself and said, " I'm going to go and try 522 00:30:04,050 --> 00:30:07,920 Rudy Valdez: and do this and really go to the center of 523 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,980 Rudy Valdez: it, New York City, and see where I stand in 524 00:30:10,980 --> 00:30:13,620 Rudy Valdez: all of these things." And so my inspirations come from a 525 00:30:13,620 --> 00:30:16,469 Rudy Valdez: lot of different things, but I think they always at 526 00:30:16,470 --> 00:30:19,650 Rudy Valdez: their core are from people who are digging deep and 527 00:30:19,650 --> 00:30:23,970 Rudy Valdez: telling personal stories and making a difference with small stories 528 00:30:23,970 --> 00:30:28,530 Rudy Valdez: that feel like they could be not very significant to 529 00:30:28,530 --> 00:30:32,430 Rudy Valdez: people, but when told in a beautiful way and told 530 00:30:32,430 --> 00:30:34,410 Rudy Valdez: with the idea of allowing people to lean in and 531 00:30:34,410 --> 00:30:37,980 Rudy Valdez: see themselves, I'm very inspired by that. 532 00:30:39,030 --> 00:30:41,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: I love it. And that's exactly what Final Finishers is 533 00:30:41,970 --> 00:30:46,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: all about as well. Any parallels you can draw between 534 00:30:46,740 --> 00:30:49,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: the filmmaking process and running a marathon now that you've 535 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:51,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: had a chance to be up close and personal, you 536 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: haven't done the running a marathon part yet. We're going 537 00:30:54,420 --> 00:30:56,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: to talk about that in a second. But just in terms of 538 00:30:57,210 --> 00:31:00,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: watching your characters here go through it, do you see 539 00:31:00,870 --> 00:31:01,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: any parallels? 540 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,980 Rudy Valdez: Yeah, I mean, I think that when you're making a 541 00:31:04,980 --> 00:31:09,180 Rudy Valdez: film, there's a beginning, a middle, and an end, and 542 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,709 Rudy Valdez: they're all kind of intertwined within each other. And I 543 00:31:13,710 --> 00:31:17,580 Rudy Valdez: think with this, our characters, they know where that finish 544 00:31:17,580 --> 00:31:19,380 Rudy Valdez: line is. Kind of like when I'm making a film, 545 00:31:19,380 --> 00:31:21,510 Rudy Valdez: I know when that deadline is and when I have 546 00:31:21,510 --> 00:31:23,850 Rudy Valdez: to turn in my rough cut and my final cut 547 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,880 Rudy Valdez: and all those things. But I think what is important is 548 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,930 Rudy Valdez: that middle and how you handle yourself within that. And 549 00:31:31,470 --> 00:31:37,560 Rudy Valdez: there's certainly parallels to pacing. There's certainly parallels to taking 550 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:41,370 Rudy Valdez: care of yourself, nutrition throughout those things, whether that's creatively 551 00:31:41,370 --> 00:31:45,150 Rudy Valdez: or physically. Because I just worked on a film a 552 00:31:45,150 --> 00:31:48,090 Rudy Valdez: couple of weeks ago where we shot for five straight 553 00:31:48,090 --> 00:31:52,770 Rudy Valdez: days, 16 hour days. And you think about a marathon 554 00:31:52,770 --> 00:31:54,780 Rudy Valdez: of just waking up at 6: 00 in the morning, going 555 00:31:54,780 --> 00:31:57,240 Rudy Valdez: to bed at 1: 00 in the morning and getting 556 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:58,890 Rudy Valdez: up and doing it again and doing it again. And 557 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:04,710 Rudy Valdez: you're so excited about what you're filming and what you're 558 00:32:04,710 --> 00:32:07,620 Rudy Valdez: doing that you have to sometimes remind yourself, slow down, 559 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:09,600 Rudy Valdez: take care of yourself. You're not going to be able 560 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:11,100 Rudy Valdez: to get up that next day. You're not going to 561 00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:14,670 Rudy Valdez: be able to keep going. And so I think pacing 562 00:32:14,670 --> 00:32:17,580 Rudy Valdez: and understanding all the things, this film is such a 563 00:32:17,580 --> 00:32:20,010 Rudy Valdez: metaphor for so many things in life. I could take 564 00:32:20,010 --> 00:32:22,860 Rudy Valdez: this film and be like, " Oh, you have a journey? 565 00:32:22,860 --> 00:32:25,200 Rudy Valdez: You have something in front of you that feels impossible? 566 00:32:25,710 --> 00:32:29,130 Rudy Valdez: Here's how you do it." Watch this little film and say, " 567 00:32:29,310 --> 00:32:32,610 Rudy Valdez: This is how you finish this." And I think Janelle says 568 00:32:32,610 --> 00:32:36,480 Rudy Valdez: it perfectly where she says, " People call the marathon race." 569 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:40,410 Rudy Valdez: She's like, " But it's a journey." And it's so true. 570 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:43,920 Rudy Valdez: And it's all about your journey and how you finish 571 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:49,440 Rudy Valdez: your race. I could literally take that metaphor and put 572 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,980 Rudy Valdez: it to finishing a book, to writing a poem, to 573 00:32:53,490 --> 00:32:55,950 Rudy Valdez: anything you want, because it all starts with getting up, 574 00:32:55,950 --> 00:32:58,980 Rudy Valdez: believing in yourself, knowing that you can do it and 575 00:33:00,060 --> 00:33:01,290 Rudy Valdez: putting one foot in front of the other. 576 00:33:02,190 --> 00:33:05,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, you say it beautifully. And I talk about that 577 00:33:05,490 --> 00:33:08,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: at the starting line of the marathon every year I've 578 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:13,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: been here. What I do actually, Rudy, is at the 579 00:33:13,170 --> 00:33:16,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: starting line when I give a speech, I say congratulations 580 00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:19,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: to the runners at the starting line. And I say, " 581 00:33:19,980 --> 00:33:22,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: Maybe you're wondering why would I be congratulating you at 582 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: the start of the race? You haven't run it yet." 583 00:33:25,710 --> 00:33:29,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: But you've seen what I always say, which is the 584 00:33:29,610 --> 00:33:33,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: hardest part about running a marathon is getting to the 585 00:33:33,570 --> 00:33:37,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: starting line. And what happens after that is all a 586 00:33:37,650 --> 00:33:41,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: celebration, and you really are documenting that in a big 587 00:33:41,820 --> 00:33:42,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: way with Final Finishers. 588 00:33:43,890 --> 00:33:46,710 Rudy Valdez: Rob, even you just saying that there gave me goosebumps. 589 00:33:47,850 --> 00:33:50,970 Rudy Valdez: I want to be at that starting line and hopefully at 590 00:33:50,970 --> 00:33:52,860 Rudy Valdez: the finish line, but I do want to be at 591 00:33:52,860 --> 00:33:53,520 Rudy Valdez: that starting line. 592 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, so let's talk about that. What is the farthest 593 00:33:56,550 --> 00:33:58,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: you've ever run Rudy in one run? 594 00:33:59,610 --> 00:34:02,130 Rudy Valdez: You know what's interesting is when I was in college, 595 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:05,070 Rudy Valdez: I was kind of an insomniac and I had tons 596 00:34:05,070 --> 00:34:08,520 Rudy Valdez: and tons of energy. And so running was literally something 597 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:10,319 Rudy Valdez: I would just get up and go and do. And 598 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:14,130 Rudy Valdez: I had this route that I would run. There were 599 00:34:14,130 --> 00:34:17,430 Rudy Valdez: two. There was one that I would run when I 600 00:34:17,430 --> 00:34:20,520 Rudy Valdez: just had so much energy and I needed to get 601 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,760 Rudy Valdez: it out of me or I would go nuts, but 602 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:27,600 Rudy Valdez: I never knew how far that was. It was just 603 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:29,370 Rudy Valdez: something that I did. I never did it for time. 604 00:34:29,370 --> 00:34:31,950 Rudy Valdez: I never did it for distance. It was just these 605 00:34:32,370 --> 00:34:35,969 Rudy Valdez: mile markers that I would do. And so I was 606 00:34:35,969 --> 00:34:40,590 Rudy Valdez: back in my hometown right around the time that we 607 00:34:40,590 --> 00:34:43,890 Rudy Valdez: started making Final Finishers, and I was like, " I wonder 608 00:34:43,890 --> 00:34:48,180 Rudy Valdez: how far that was that I used to ..." I wasn't 609 00:34:48,180 --> 00:34:50,520 Rudy Valdez: going to run it, so I drove that route to 610 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,310 Rudy Valdez: see how far it was. And from point A to 611 00:34:53,310 --> 00:34:55,770 Rudy Valdez: point B was 6.2 miles. 612 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:57,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: 10 K. 613 00:34:58,290 --> 00:35:01,259 Rudy Valdez: Yeah, and then I came back from that. 614 00:35:01,860 --> 00:35:05,640 Rob Simmelkjaer: Oh, well done. Okay, so you're running half- marathons almost. 615 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:07,980 Rudy Valdez: I was running a half- marathon and I had no idea. 616 00:35:07,980 --> 00:35:10,379 Rudy Valdez: But I can't tell you the time I ran it in. 617 00:35:10,380 --> 00:35:13,050 Rudy Valdez: I would literally just go, and I'm sure I walked 618 00:35:13,050 --> 00:35:15,719 Rudy Valdez: a bit and I would do that thing, but it 619 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:17,580 Rudy Valdez: was just something that I would get up and go. 620 00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:21,270 Rudy Valdez: But that was also, I was 20 years old, you 621 00:35:21,270 --> 00:35:24,210 Rudy Valdez: know what I mean? That was quite a while ago, but I 622 00:35:24,210 --> 00:35:27,420 Rudy Valdez: recently started running again to try and figure out if 623 00:35:27,420 --> 00:35:31,200 Rudy Valdez: I can do this. And I just ran a pretty 624 00:35:31,380 --> 00:35:35,790 Rudy Valdez: good five miles ina pretty good pace. And I was like, " 625 00:35:35,790 --> 00:35:39,210 Rudy Valdez: Okay." But it was funny, I did two and a 626 00:35:39,210 --> 00:35:40,680 Rudy Valdez: half one way and I was coming back two and 627 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,560 Rudy Valdez: a half and I was getting back to my place 628 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,200 Rudy Valdez: at two and a half, and I remember feeling like, " 629 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:50,880 Rudy Valdez: I can do this. Wait, I can do this." And 630 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:52,560 Rudy Valdez: I was like, " Well, unfortunately I'm back at my place, 631 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,020 Rudy Valdez: so I'm going to stop running." But I was like, " I could maybe 632 00:35:55,020 --> 00:36:00,180 Rudy Valdez: go another mile or two." But the thing that is 633 00:36:00,180 --> 00:36:02,670 Rudy Valdez: my hiccup right now is that I'm much older than 634 00:36:02,670 --> 00:36:06,510 Rudy Valdez: I was when I was 20 and I have this tendency 635 00:36:06,510 --> 00:36:10,770 Rudy Valdez: to really just go after it. And now my body's like, " 636 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,020 Rudy Valdez: You need to ease into this." My knees were a 637 00:36:13,020 --> 00:36:17,040 Rudy Valdez: little achy, and so I have to learn to again, 638 00:36:17,070 --> 00:36:19,680 Rudy Valdez: pace myself and take care of myself so that I 639 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:20,969 Rudy Valdez: can make that longer run. 640 00:36:21,780 --> 00:36:24,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's all about, we talk about this on the show 641 00:36:24,150 --> 00:36:30,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: all the time, gradually building up for your body, especially 642 00:36:31,380 --> 00:36:34,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: when you're not 20. Your body's not going to just 643 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:38,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: flip the switch from running zero miles a week to 644 00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:42,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: 40 miles a week. It's too much for the body 645 00:36:42,420 --> 00:36:45,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: to adjust to. So you got to ramp it up 646 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:49,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: 10 miles a week, 15, 20. And the longer you have to 647 00:36:49,290 --> 00:36:52,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: ramp up, the longer your body has to adjust. And 648 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:55,274 Rob Simmelkjaer: along the way, you'll feel pains and you'll feel things 649 00:36:55,275 --> 00:36:57,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: and you can dial it back a little, then go 650 00:36:57,330 --> 00:37:02,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: back. So it really is a process. I don't know 651 00:37:02,370 --> 00:37:03,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: what your goal is. Do you have a goal in 652 00:37:03,810 --> 00:37:06,239 Rob Simmelkjaer: mind in terms of when, Rudy, you'd like to run 653 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:06,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: a marathon? 654 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:10,469 Rudy Valdez: November. 655 00:37:11,190 --> 00:37:15,510 Rob Simmelkjaer: Of this year? I like it. I like it. Now 656 00:37:15,510 --> 00:37:17,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: there's going to be some work. So if we're going 657 00:37:17,250 --> 00:37:18,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: to do this, we're going to have to talk and 658 00:37:18,930 --> 00:37:21,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: get a plan going for you. It's doable. We're sitting 659 00:37:21,690 --> 00:37:24,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: here in early June. It's definitely doable. We've seen people 660 00:37:24,660 --> 00:37:28,529 Rob Simmelkjaer: do it much closer in than that. So all right, 661 00:37:28,530 --> 00:37:30,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: we're going to see if we can make this happen, 662 00:37:30,420 --> 00:37:33,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: Rudy. I like the sound of this. We got the 663 00:37:33,450 --> 00:37:37,410 Rob Simmelkjaer: Final Finishers sequel on tap when Rudy finishes the marathon. 664 00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:41,160 Rudy Valdez: I'm sitting here thinking, did I just literally say that 665 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:42,391 Rudy Valdez: on a podcast now? So now I have to do it. 666 00:37:42,391 --> 00:37:45,901 Rob Simmelkjaer: Not just a podcast, the New York Road Runners podcast. 667 00:37:45,901 --> 00:37:49,830 Rudy Valdez: I know. I'm going to be the enemy of every runner who's like, " Hey, you 668 00:37:49,830 --> 00:37:51,960 Rudy Valdez: were on the New York Road Runners podcast saying you're 669 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:54,810 Rudy Valdez: going to run and here you are standing next to 670 00:37:54,810 --> 00:37:58,140 Rudy Valdez: the race." No, I have to do it now. I 671 00:37:58,140 --> 00:37:58,650 Rudy Valdez: have to do it. 672 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:01,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, it's out there. It has been put into 673 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: the universe. So we are going to follow up on 674 00:38:03,450 --> 00:38:04,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: this and see if we can get- 675 00:38:04,739 --> 00:38:05,220 Rudy Valdez: Oh, no. Great. Perfect. Great. 676 00:38:05,219 --> 00:38:09,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: ... Rudy Valdez to the starting line of the 2025 TCS 677 00:38:10,110 --> 00:38:13,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York City Marathon. Listen, what better story, if we 678 00:38:13,830 --> 00:38:18,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: make a film to inspire people to run, the director 679 00:38:18,810 --> 00:38:21,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: gets inspired and runs themselves? I can't think of a 680 00:38:21,570 --> 00:38:24,719 Rob Simmelkjaer: more fitting post- script to a film than that. 681 00:38:25,350 --> 00:38:27,931 Rudy Valdez: Even more pressure, Rob. Now I have to run and be a part of a great story. 682 00:38:27,931 --> 00:38:35,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: Oh, I love it. I love it. Well, no pressure, no pressure. People 683 00:38:35,460 --> 00:38:38,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: try and try again. So no pressure at all, but 684 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: love the desire. So okay, we're going to talk offline 685 00:38:42,060 --> 00:38:45,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: about that. Rudy, it's been awesome to talk to you 686 00:38:45,870 --> 00:38:49,830 Rob Simmelkjaer: about this and talk about Final Finishers. I've already gotten 687 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:53,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: members of Road Runners who are hearing about it, texting 688 00:38:53,310 --> 00:38:55,259 Rob Simmelkjaer: me, calling me, saying they really want to see the 689 00:38:55,260 --> 00:38:57,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: film. So we can't wait to see it. It'll be 690 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:02,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: available in ways to be announced for everybody to check 691 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:04,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: it out. Rudy, thank you so much for helping us 692 00:39:04,350 --> 00:39:06,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: tell these stories and we're going to see you down 693 00:39:06,750 --> 00:39:07,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: the road. 694 00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:09,480 Rudy Valdez: Yeah, no, thank you for having me on. And truly, 695 00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:12,060 Rudy Valdez: again, thank you for having me be a part of telling this 696 00:39:12,060 --> 00:39:13,200 Rudy Valdez: story. I'm very humbled by it. 697 00:39:26,969 --> 00:39:30,030 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a 698 00:39:30,030 --> 00:39:33,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the 699 00:39:33,420 --> 00:39:37,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: transformative power of running. The support of members and donors 700 00:39:37,500 --> 00:39:40,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the 701 00:39:40,710 --> 00:39:43,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: health and well- being of our communities through inclusive and 702 00:39:43,980 --> 00:39:48,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: accessible running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn 703 00:39:48,870 --> 00:39:54,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: more and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. Anne Giovanoni has 704 00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:58,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: spent more than two decades at the biotech company, Alkermes, 705 00:39:58,469 --> 00:40:01,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: but outside of work, running is her passion. She's finished 706 00:40:01,770 --> 00:40:05,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: 15 Boston Marathons, is a TCS New York City Marathon 707 00:40:05,250 --> 00:40:09,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: Streaker with 16 marathons under her belt, and she was 708 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:11,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: even a three- time finisher of the New York Road 709 00:40:11,370 --> 00:40:15,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners 60 K Ultra Marathon that we used to do 710 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:18,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: in Central Park. That was 37 miles. We got to 711 00:40:18,420 --> 00:40:21,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: spend time with Anne at the premiere of Final Finishers 712 00:40:21,150 --> 00:40:23,700 Rob Simmelkjaer: a few weeks ago because Anne's love of running has 713 00:40:23,700 --> 00:40:26,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: also inspired her to become a big supporter of New 714 00:40:26,250 --> 00:40:29,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: York Road Runners and our new production studio, East 89th 715 00:40:29,550 --> 00:40:31,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: St Productions. She spent time with Meb. 716 00:40:32,550 --> 00:40:35,730 Meb Keflezighi: Thanks, Rob. Anne, welcome to the Set the Pace show. How's it 717 00:40:35,730 --> 00:40:36,330 Meb Keflezighi: going today? 718 00:40:37,050 --> 00:40:40,890 Anne Giovanoni: It's going great. I'm so excited to be here, Meb. You're one 719 00:40:40,890 --> 00:40:43,529 Anne Giovanoni: of my heroes, so this is a really unique and 720 00:40:43,530 --> 00:40:44,879 Anne Giovanoni: wonderful opportunity for me. 721 00:40:45,270 --> 00:40:48,000 Meb Keflezighi: Wow. Very, very, very kind of you, but I'm so 722 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:50,010 Meb Keflezighi: thrilled to be here with you on Set the Pace, 723 00:40:50,550 --> 00:40:53,040 Meb Keflezighi: but let's get to it. How did you first start 724 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:55,740 Meb Keflezighi: running Anne? Did you start running when you were young or did it come later on? 725 00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:01,830 Anne Giovanoni: I definitely came to running when I was a little 726 00:41:01,830 --> 00:41:04,290 Anne Giovanoni: bit older. I think as a kid, I'm not even 727 00:41:04,290 --> 00:41:06,569 Anne Giovanoni: sure I knew what cross- country or track and field 728 00:41:06,570 --> 00:41:11,969 Anne Giovanoni: was. But after college, one of my sisters was running 729 00:41:11,969 --> 00:41:14,370 Anne Giovanoni: the Tufts 10 K and I thought, " Well, if she could 730 00:41:14,370 --> 00:41:16,440 Anne Giovanoni: do it, I must be able to do it too." 731 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:21,120 Anne Giovanoni: And so I decided to jump in and learned my 732 00:41:21,330 --> 00:41:24,750 Anne Giovanoni: first very important running lesson in that race, which is 733 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:27,689 Anne Giovanoni: the proper running shoes or you will end up with 734 00:41:27,690 --> 00:41:28,500 Anne Giovanoni: black toenails. 735 00:41:30,030 --> 00:41:34,410 Meb Keflezighi: Absolutely. Running is a very simple, but yet, you have to 736 00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:37,620 Meb Keflezighi: learn your education one- on- one running from whether siblings 737 00:41:37,620 --> 00:41:40,920 Meb Keflezighi: or other mentors. But you have a big job as 738 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:44,730 Meb Keflezighi: a senior lawyer at a big biotech company. How do 739 00:41:44,730 --> 00:41:47,520 Meb Keflezighi: you find time to train for a marathon with such 740 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:51,210 Meb Keflezighi: a busy career? And also what parallel do you see 741 00:41:51,210 --> 00:41:52,710 Meb Keflezighi: between your career and marathoning? 742 00:41:54,270 --> 00:41:57,510 Anne Giovanoni: Sure. I think I probably couldn't do my job if 743 00:41:57,510 --> 00:42:01,860 Anne Giovanoni: I didn't have running. I actually started running marathons when 744 00:42:01,860 --> 00:42:04,140 Anne Giovanoni: I was in law school and I went to law 745 00:42:04,140 --> 00:42:07,860 Anne Giovanoni: school and worked at my company at the same time. 746 00:42:07,860 --> 00:42:11,759 Anne Giovanoni: And running to me became that period of time where 747 00:42:12,150 --> 00:42:15,239 Anne Giovanoni: no one could bother me, where I could think about 748 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:18,360 Anne Giovanoni: what I wanted to think about versus thinking about school 749 00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:21,510 Anne Giovanoni: or thinking about work. And so over the years, running 750 00:42:21,510 --> 00:42:24,989 Anne Giovanoni: marathons has really helped me find that right balance between 751 00:42:24,989 --> 00:42:30,780 Anne Giovanoni: work and my job and my career. Many times, I've 752 00:42:30,780 --> 00:42:33,300 Anne Giovanoni: found that I do a lot of problem solving when 753 00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:36,690 Anne Giovanoni: I'm out on a long run where not purposely, I 754 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:39,210 Anne Giovanoni: don't go on the run thinking I want to do 755 00:42:39,210 --> 00:42:43,410 Anne Giovanoni: something, but as I'm running the answer to a kind 756 00:42:43,410 --> 00:42:46,770 Anne Giovanoni: of vexing problem comes to mind. And so I don't 757 00:42:46,770 --> 00:42:49,110 Anne Giovanoni: think I could be a lawyer without running nowadays. 758 00:42:50,010 --> 00:42:52,980 Meb Keflezighi: Incredible. No, running is a great forum to be able 759 00:42:52,980 --> 00:42:56,640 Meb Keflezighi: to just find solutions and see now you will see something 760 00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:59,939 Meb Keflezighi: and come out a completely different person. So you have 761 00:42:59,940 --> 00:43:04,920 Meb Keflezighi: run Boston many times to raise money for charity, including 762 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:10,530 Meb Keflezighi: the charities, Casa Myrna and the Dimock Center. Why is it 763 00:43:10,530 --> 00:43:13,320 Meb Keflezighi: important for you to run for a cause and not 764 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:14,219 Meb Keflezighi: just for yourself? 765 00:43:15,570 --> 00:43:19,319 Anne Giovanoni: So growing up, my parents really instilled in me the 766 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:23,370 Anne Giovanoni: value of being of service to others. And as an 767 00:43:23,370 --> 00:43:26,790 Anne Giovanoni: adult, I've had many opportunities to do that in different 768 00:43:26,790 --> 00:43:28,739 Anne Giovanoni: ways, but the way I found it to be the 769 00:43:28,739 --> 00:43:32,489 Anne Giovanoni: most meaningful is running the Boston Marathon for charity. And 770 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,989 Anne Giovanoni: those two particular nonprofits you mentioned have been very important 771 00:43:36,989 --> 00:43:41,370 Anne Giovanoni: to me in my adult life. And Casa Myrna provides 772 00:43:41,370 --> 00:43:47,310 Anne Giovanoni: services to survivors of domestic violence. And the Dimock Center 773 00:43:47,310 --> 00:43:51,060 Anne Giovanoni: is a health center, community health center in the Roxbury 774 00:43:51,060 --> 00:43:56,130 Anne Giovanoni: community in Boston, both of whom serve underserved populations in 775 00:43:56,130 --> 00:43:58,140 Anne Giovanoni: a variety of different ways. And I just really have 776 00:43:58,140 --> 00:44:02,640 Anne Giovanoni: connected with both of those causes in that they provide 777 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,339 Anne Giovanoni: services in a way to serve the whole person, just 778 00:44:05,340 --> 00:44:08,190 Anne Giovanoni: like I think running serves a whole person physically and 779 00:44:08,190 --> 00:44:12,029 Anne Giovanoni: mentally. And so it's been meaningful for me and I 780 00:44:12,030 --> 00:44:15,210 Anne Giovanoni: will say, every time I have the opportunity to cross 781 00:44:15,210 --> 00:44:18,180 Anne Giovanoni: that finish line, wearing a singlet for an organization I 782 00:44:18,180 --> 00:44:23,609 Anne Giovanoni: feel really passionate about, it makes the race all that 783 00:44:23,610 --> 00:44:27,660 Anne Giovanoni: more special. You're doing it not for you but for 784 00:44:27,660 --> 00:44:32,969 Anne Giovanoni: someone else. And just every year they come back and say, " 785 00:44:32,969 --> 00:44:34,980 Anne Giovanoni: Do you want to run again?" And I think, " I 786 00:44:34,980 --> 00:44:38,820 Anne Giovanoni: don't know, isn't 13 enough? Isn't 14 enough?" But that 787 00:44:38,820 --> 00:44:43,320 Anne Giovanoni: passion to support them just comes back and I say 788 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:43,920 Anne Giovanoni: yes again. 789 00:44:45,150 --> 00:44:48,180 Meb Keflezighi: Wow, that's amazing, great work and thank you for running for a 790 00:44:48,180 --> 00:44:51,090 Meb Keflezighi: cause and a passion that you have. It doesn't only 791 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:54,810 Meb Keflezighi: stop there as you've been a professional, but you also 792 00:44:54,810 --> 00:44:58,680 Meb Keflezighi: have a few ultra marathons under your belt. How is running 793 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:02,279 Meb Keflezighi: ultra marathon different from a regular marathon for you? 794 00:45:03,660 --> 00:45:13,500 Anne Giovanoni: Very much longer, but I always enjoyed the ultra marathon 795 00:45:13,500 --> 00:45:18,299 Anne Giovanoni: experience because I find it very meditative and a real 796 00:45:18,330 --> 00:45:22,950 Anne Giovanoni: opportunity to just see how far you can challenge yourself 797 00:45:22,950 --> 00:45:28,020 Anne Giovanoni: both mentally and physically. Marathons provide that, but the ultra 798 00:45:28,020 --> 00:45:32,219 Anne Giovanoni: marathon distance, I think there's just this moment where you 799 00:45:32,219 --> 00:45:36,900 Anne Giovanoni: realize your mind takes over and you think about why 800 00:45:36,900 --> 00:45:39,210 Anne Giovanoni: you're out there and can I just get another 10 801 00:45:39,210 --> 00:45:41,640 Anne Giovanoni: feet and then another 20 feet and then another half 802 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:47,670 Anne Giovanoni: a mile. And finding that balance between mind and body 803 00:45:47,670 --> 00:45:50,549 Anne Giovanoni: and heart and soul to get to the finish line, 804 00:45:51,930 --> 00:45:55,830 Anne Giovanoni: I just found it so invigorating. And to be fair, 805 00:45:57,030 --> 00:46:02,700 Anne Giovanoni: the chicken soup and the flat coke at every loop 806 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:04,410 Anne Giovanoni: was definitely a plus. 807 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,940 Meb Keflezighi: Amazing. People often ask me, " Do you do ultra marathons?" 808 00:46:08,940 --> 00:46:10,739 Meb Keflezighi: And I'm scared of the distance, I'm not going to 809 00:46:10,739 --> 00:46:13,410 Meb Keflezighi: lie, but I tell them, " When the marathon's not going my 810 00:46:13,410 --> 00:46:17,460 Meb Keflezighi: way, it becomes an ultra either extra time." But the 811 00:46:17,550 --> 00:46:20,880 Meb Keflezighi: flat Coke is good and the soup to get nutrition 812 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:24,000 Meb Keflezighi: to get you to that finish line. But you live 813 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:27,930 Meb Keflezighi: in Boston, but we see you a lot at the NYRR 814 00:46:27,989 --> 00:46:31,680 Meb Keflezighi: events. You are even in support of the East 89th 815 00:46:31,680 --> 00:46:36,630 Meb Keflezighi: St Production first documentary, Final Finishers. As a Boston- based 816 00:46:36,630 --> 00:46:40,770 Meb Keflezighi: runner who has run the Boston Marathon 15 times, why 817 00:46:40,770 --> 00:46:45,330 Meb Keflezighi: was supporting the NYRR's Final Finishers documentary important to you? 818 00:46:46,620 --> 00:46:49,890 Anne Giovanoni: So for me, the New York City Marathon is just 819 00:46:50,010 --> 00:46:54,510 Anne Giovanoni: the best marathon in the world. There's so much excitement from 820 00:46:54,510 --> 00:46:57,180 Anne Giovanoni: the time you go over the bridge, all of the 821 00:46:57,180 --> 00:46:59,489 Anne Giovanoni: support through all the boroughs in New York. And then 822 00:46:59,489 --> 00:47:02,700 Anne Giovanoni: you get to that finish line and it just puts 823 00:47:02,700 --> 00:47:04,770 Anne Giovanoni: you on top of the world. You just think you 824 00:47:04,770 --> 00:47:09,150 Anne Giovanoni: can do anything. And the people who are supporting you 825 00:47:09,150 --> 00:47:12,839 Anne Giovanoni: there, it's a feeling like none other. And so when 826 00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:15,810 Anne Giovanoni: I heard that the documentary was going to focus on 827 00:47:15,810 --> 00:47:20,760 Anne Giovanoni: that finish line experience, and especially for those final finishers 828 00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:24,420 Anne Giovanoni: of the marathon who have been out there 10, 12 hours 829 00:47:24,450 --> 00:47:28,380 Anne Giovanoni: and just the excitement that happens when they cross the 830 00:47:28,380 --> 00:47:30,360 Anne Giovanoni: finish line, I thought, " How can you not be part 831 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:33,750 Anne Giovanoni: of that? How can you not be part of sharing 832 00:47:34,140 --> 00:47:38,670 Anne Giovanoni: that wonderfully unique experience to a broader audience, to people 833 00:47:38,670 --> 00:47:42,510 Anne Giovanoni: who have never experienced a marathon finish line or the 834 00:47:42,510 --> 00:47:45,419 Anne Giovanoni: New York City Marathon finish line?" And then I heard 835 00:47:45,420 --> 00:47:49,350 Anne Giovanoni: more about the stories of the runners who were highlighted 836 00:47:49,350 --> 00:47:55,290 Anne Giovanoni: in the film and their perseverance, their grit, their courage, 837 00:47:55,290 --> 00:47:58,650 Anne Giovanoni: all of that just blew me away. And I thought, " 838 00:47:58,860 --> 00:48:03,120 Anne Giovanoni: Gosh, there's absolutely no reason to do this. This is 839 00:48:03,120 --> 00:48:07,980 Anne Giovanoni: just an amazing project." And then when I finally saw 840 00:48:07,980 --> 00:48:11,460 Anne Giovanoni: the film, oh, it brought me to tears. I just 841 00:48:11,460 --> 00:48:17,580 Anne Giovanoni: was so inspired by the runners who were documented in 842 00:48:17,580 --> 00:48:20,340 Anne Giovanoni: the film just totally inspired by it. 843 00:48:21,150 --> 00:48:23,250 Meb Keflezighi: I could not agree ... I was fortunate enough to be 844 00:48:23,250 --> 00:48:26,790 Meb Keflezighi: at the premiere and I was equally inspired by those 845 00:48:26,790 --> 00:48:30,750 Meb Keflezighi: great finishers. They have an amazing story. So many obstacles 846 00:48:30,750 --> 00:48:34,770 Meb Keflezighi: or challenges to overcome and the documentary did a great 847 00:48:34,770 --> 00:48:38,129 Meb Keflezighi: job to illustrate that. Thank you for being part of it. You are a 848 00:48:38,700 --> 00:48:41,550 Meb Keflezighi: true champion on the course and off the course, you've 849 00:48:41,550 --> 00:48:43,530 Meb Keflezighi: done a great job, Anne. And then keep up the great 850 00:48:43,530 --> 00:48:47,640 Meb Keflezighi: work you're doing. We're just so delighted to have you 851 00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:48,360 Meb Keflezighi: on the podcast. 852 00:48:49,350 --> 00:48:51,120 Anne Giovanoni: Thank you Meb, it was so great to talk to you 853 00:48:51,120 --> 00:48:56,850 Anne Giovanoni: today. And as a Bostonian who ran the marathon the 854 00:48:56,850 --> 00:49:00,450 Anne Giovanoni: year of the bombing and afterward, you've always been inspiring 855 00:49:00,450 --> 00:49:02,910 Anne Giovanoni: to me. I can't tell you what it did for 856 00:49:02,910 --> 00:49:05,160 Anne Giovanoni: all of us in the city to see you win 857 00:49:05,670 --> 00:49:09,150 Anne Giovanoni: the year afterward. I still can't help the smile that 858 00:49:09,150 --> 00:49:10,410 Anne Giovanoni: comes on my face thinking about it. 859 00:49:11,009 --> 00:49:13,560 Meb Keflezighi: Appreciate it. And it gives me goosebumps just thinking about 860 00:49:13,560 --> 00:49:17,280 Meb Keflezighi: it because it was very monumental for all of us, not only for Boston, 861 00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:22,230 Meb Keflezighi: but for the people running. And what horrific was in that situation, 2013, to change it 862 00:49:22,230 --> 00:49:25,770 Meb Keflezighi: to something positive. And everybody, 36,000 people came that year 863 00:49:26,219 --> 00:49:29,640 Meb Keflezighi: to celebrate and do something positive and the runners and the 864 00:49:29,640 --> 00:49:31,980 Meb Keflezighi: spectators came to support. So it was my honor to be able to 865 00:49:32,370 --> 00:49:33,570 Meb Keflezighi: pull the victory for all of us. 866 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:36,779 Anne Giovanoni: Well, thank you again for inviting me on today. 867 00:49:37,290 --> 00:49:39,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks so much for joining us, Anne, and for all 868 00:49:39,090 --> 00:49:41,549 Rob Simmelkjaer: your support of New York Road Runners. It really means 869 00:49:41,550 --> 00:49:44,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: a lot to us. Now it's time for today's Meb 870 00:49:44,580 --> 00:49:44,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: Minute 871 00:49:45,270 --> 00:49:49,950 Meb Keflezighi: Be the heat, hydration, acclimation. Summer is time to train. 872 00:49:50,010 --> 00:49:53,820 Meb Keflezighi: Summer is time to have fun, but don't go too 873 00:49:53,820 --> 00:49:55,259 Meb Keflezighi: much in the heat. You have to take care of 874 00:49:55,260 --> 00:49:58,500 Meb Keflezighi: yourself. So you have to be able to train early 875 00:49:58,500 --> 00:50:01,468 Meb Keflezighi: in the morning. But sometimes if you're getting ready for 876 00:50:01,469 --> 00:50:05,010 Meb Keflezighi: a hot weather race, it is always wise to run 877 00:50:05,010 --> 00:50:07,469 Meb Keflezighi: in the middle of the day just to acclimate the 878 00:50:07,620 --> 00:50:10,890 Meb Keflezighi: heat, get used to the sweat. But you have to 879 00:50:10,890 --> 00:50:15,450 Meb Keflezighi: begin your races also smart, where you have to drink 880 00:50:15,450 --> 00:50:19,468 Meb Keflezighi: fluid, electrolyte preferably about two to three hours before, about 881 00:50:19,469 --> 00:50:23,190 Meb Keflezighi: 16 ounce. And you also have to sip throughout the day 882 00:50:23,190 --> 00:50:27,480 Meb Keflezighi: because by the time you feel thirsty, your performance have 883 00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:31,440 Meb Keflezighi: hindered by about 25%. So it is a wise decision 884 00:50:31,440 --> 00:50:37,020 Meb Keflezighi: to train smart, hydrate, but also practice the exact drinks 885 00:50:37,020 --> 00:50:39,719 Meb Keflezighi: that you will be drinking during race days or long runs. 886 00:50:39,930 --> 00:50:42,750 Meb Keflezighi: So you have to make wise decisions to be the best 887 00:50:42,750 --> 00:50:44,610 Meb Keflezighi: that you can to beat the heat. And you don't 888 00:50:44,610 --> 00:50:46,380 Meb Keflezighi: want to be melting away there, so you got to 889 00:50:46,380 --> 00:50:48,570 Meb Keflezighi: be able to just prepare beforehand. 890 00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:51,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, that does it for this 4th of July 891 00:50:51,660 --> 00:50:53,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: episode of Set the Pace. We want to thank our 892 00:50:53,790 --> 00:50:57,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: guests, Rudy Valdez and Anne Giovanoni. Hope you guys are all 893 00:50:57,810 --> 00:51:01,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: having a great 4th of July holiday, maybe getting some 894 00:51:01,170 --> 00:51:04,319 Rob Simmelkjaer: running in when it's not too hot. Enjoy the miles, 895 00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:05,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: happy 4th, we'll see you next week.