Topics Discussed:
- Running culture as a growing trend in Israel
- Moy's international marathon experiences
- A runner's pre, intra, and post-workout diet
- The most popular races in Israel
- Running in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem: Tourism with a twist!
- Memorable stories involving international runners
- Moy's bucket list races
- An intimate look into Runners Without Borders with Israel Haas
Fun Runs Israel: http://fun-run.run/
Runners Without Borders: https://runnerswithoutborders.org/?lang=en
Episode Summary:
"Stop whining and continue running."
This is the mantra of Moy Kasman. He is the founder of Fun Runs Israel, where he takes people on guided sightseeing runs. Moy speaks on Israel's rapidly-growing running culture and how he puts together his community-driven events.
Having developed his passion for running initially for health reasons, Moy now considers the activity therapeutic. To him, "running is a universal language" where people of all walks of life can come together to provide support and camaraderie.
Moy speaks on his experiences participating in marathons in different countries around Europe, along with prospective races on his bucket list. He also talks about what he eats to keep himself fueled for his challenging runs. Moy will eat some pita bread with jam an hour before the start of a marathon. During the run itself, he will take a gel—his favorite flavor being chocolate—between sips of water. For the post-race meal, Moy notes that your appetite will depend on the time of day he runs. In the morning, he suggests hummus with falafel. In the evening, he says go for a steak if you'e in Israel.
Next, Moy talks about the most popular runs in the country. Of note is the Jerusalem Marathon which, at his last (attempted) count, has runners from more than 30 countries. He sees it as a very community-oriented race which makes it feel like a "small" marathon, simply because a lot of friends—both old and new—come together to bond over this family event. Another popular run is the Tel Aviv Marathon, which is more on the competitive side as compared to the Jerusalem Marathon. It is also a race with a lot of flat terrain, whereas the Jerusalem Marathon tends to be hilly. Yet another is the Desert Marathon in Eilat, where one can expect to encounter some beautiful scenery.
Moy describes the origins of Fun Runs Israel. It was through taking part in international marathons in Europe that inspired him to take the experience to his home country. Since many tourists come over to explore Israel's cities, he envisioned a running community to add a fun twist when visiting the country's many landmarks.
In the last part of the show, Katie introduces Israel Haas, who helped found Runners Without Borders, a non-profit organization with a mission to nurture a positive relationship between people in Jerusalem.
