Live from the annual TCS New York City Marathon Partner Forum, Rob is joined by Anne Valentzas, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing and Sponsorships at Mastercard, where she spearheads the global Priceless program, curating experiences that connect cardholders to culture, sport, and sustainability initiatives. This Saturday is the Mastercard New York Mini 10K Women’s Race and Anne, who is an avid runner, ran her first Mini 10K in 1996. The race brings an incredible professional field, including 2022 TCS New York City Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi who also won the United Airlines NYC Half in March in an event-record time of 1:07:04. In April, she not only won the Boston Marathon but shattered the women’s course record with a 2:17:22 finish. She joins Rob and Anne to talk about her preparation leading up to the iconic Mastercard New York Mini 10K.

You can find our February 27th, 2025 interview with Sharon Lokedi Here - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/olympian-sharon-lokedi-is-inspiring-the-next/id1703616687?i=1000696486824 or anywhere you get your podcasts!


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What happens when the person who saves your life is someone you’ve never met?

A year after his transplant, Peter is finally allowed to contact the donor whose stem cells now run through his body and an eight‑page letter, dashed off at 38,000 feet, transforms into the meeting of two, forever connected humans.

How do you pay it forward after the unthinkable? What do we owe others when someone else's good deed changes a man, a family and a future, forever? For Peter, the answer is RUN.

Let's unlock money for medical research! 

Learn More, and Sign Up here-  https://www.beyourpossible.com/runforresearch

New York Road Runners does not benefit from Be Your Possible donations or unlocked funds. 
NYRR is elevating Peter's story as part of our joint vision to create positive change through running.
 
Signing up for Be Your Possible's Run For Research  is free to all  - there is no financial obligation for any runner who chooses to participate.

DISCLAIMER 

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Ninety nine seconds—that’s all Peter’s lungs can manage on his first post-transplant run. But  the shock of those agonizing 200 meters ignites an out‑loud promise to himself: Peter pledges he will run the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon, just 12 weeks away.

Starting with small steps, Peter shrinks the city into single‑block laps, keeping the  memory of coughing up blood in reserve as inspiration to keep moving forward, step by step, to the start line on Staten Island.

Race day erupts in tears and cannons and unexpected angels.  Peter attempts to leave the patient behind on the roads, and to cross the finish line into a new story.

Let's unlock money for medical research! 

Learn More, and Sign Up here-  https://www.beyourpossible.com/runforresearch

New York Road Runners does not benefit from Be Your Possible donations or unlocked funds. 
NYRR is elevating Peter's story as part of our joint vision to create positive change through running.
 
Signing up for Be Your Possible's Run For Research  is free to all  - there is no financial obligation for any runner who chooses to participate.

DISCLAIMER 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune into this week’s episode as Rob and Becs are joined by Slow AF Run Club founder Martinus Evans—an author, advocate, and someone who's made the sport of running so much more inclusive. Back in 2012 while working 10-12 hours a day at a sales job, he hurt his hip and went to his doctor for a checkup. The doctor told him he was fat and needed to lose weight. Martinus told the doctor he was going to run a marathon—and a year later, he did. Martinus is one of the featured runners in a new film produced by New York Road Runners and Tribeca Productions, which is premiering at this year's Tribeca Festival on June 12. Hear Martinus, now a new father, talk about how running and fatherhood have a few things in common: small wins along the way with a lot of bumps and obstacles too. Ultimately though, the goal is to get the baby across the finish line.

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A Tour de France postcard is all Peter clutches as he steps back through the hospital doors, determined to earn a permanent cure. He’s about to take on the most demanding stage yet, flanked by bossy nurses, amazed pulmonologists, his devoted cavapoo, and his wife, Torun—all rooting for him along this personal, indoor Tour.

(It will feel like the toughest climb—until he laces up for the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon…but that’s the next episode.)

This Tour de France doesn’t just aim to save Peter’s life—it promises to change it forever.

Let's unlock money for medical research! 

Learn More, and Sign Up here-  https://www.beyourpossible.com/runforresearch

New York Road Runners does not benefit from Be Your Possible donations or unlocked funds. 
NYRR is elevating Peter's story as part of our joint vision to create positive change through running.
 
Signing up for Be Your Possible's Run For Research  is free to all  - there is no financial obligation for any runner who chooses to participate.

DISCLAIMER 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're so excited to announce our brand new audio docuseries, NYRR Set the Pace Presents: 850 Million Reasons to Run, the first audio documentary from East 89th St Productions, an NYRR Studio.

Meet Peter Kirk - a father, a New Yorker, and a runner - who found himself facing something far bigger than 26.2 miles. 

850 Million Reasons to Run is the true story of Peter's journey—not just to the start line of the TCS New York City Marathon, but back to life itself. It’s about what happens when everything changes in an instant… and how running became the thread that helped put it all back together.

Told in his own words—and through the voices of those closest to him—this is not your typical race story.

Let's unlock money for medical research! 

Learn More, and Sign Up here-  https://www.beyourpossible.com/runforresearch

New York Road Runner does not benefit from Be Your Possible donations or unlocked funds. 
NYRR is elevating Peter's story as part of our joint vision to create positive change through running.
 
Signing up for Be Your Possible, Run For Research  is free to all  - there is no financial obligation for any runner who chooses to participate.

DISCLAIMER 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Shaunta-Maé Alexander joins Becs to talk about her path to healing and embracing the sport of running even after living with Crohn's disease and surviving countless medical setbacks, including two episodes of paralysis. Growing up in foster care and enduring abuse, Shaunta-Maé looked to her faith for guidance and turned to sports and acting as outlets to cope and heal. A children's book author, an actress, and mentor, this past March, she completed the United Airlines NYC Half just two years after relearning how to walk. Peloton instructor Tunde Oyeneyin was by her side telling her to, “Pick your head up. I want you to see the beauty around you.” Plus, NYRR member Dr. Jane Yoo a dual board-certified dermatologist, a surgeon, an assistant professor at Mount Sinai, and an AWMM Six Star finisher shares her practical advice for fall marathon training, especially when it comes to sunscreen and skin health.

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In this special live episode recorded LIVE from the RBC Brooklyn Half After-Party at Maimonides Park, we celebrated an incredible race day with a very special guest — Alan Bersten. Best known for his dazzling performances on Dancing with the Stars, Alan has been wowing audiences since 2017, even taking home the Mirrorball Trophy with Bachelorette star Hannah Brown. A lifelong dancer and So You Think You Can Dance finalist; Alan has mastered styles from ballroom to Bollywood. Today, he took on a new kind of stage — crossing the finish line of his very first half marathon at the RBC Brooklyn Half. Tune in to hear about his journey from the dance floor to the 13.1-mile course. For today's Member Moment, two-time Olympian and 2024 RBC Brooklyn Half champion, Kim Conley joins the show to talk about her attempt to defend her title at this year’s race and her transition from track athlete to a marathoner. And finally HSS's Jason Mayerhofer is here with his best advice on how to transition your training from the RBC Brooklyn Half, to the TCS New York City Marathon.

Alan Bersten on STP!:  (02:28)
Kim Conley Joins the Show!  (16:43)
HSS's Jason Mayerhoffer: (24:13)

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This special episode comes to you live from the RBC Brooklyn Half Pre-Party, Presented by New Balance. Hosts Rob Simmelkjaer and Becs Gentry go behind the scenes with the sub-elite field lining up for Saturday’s race. Dorian Kail, NYRR’s Director of Professional Athletes, breaks down the time standards and perks of becoming a “seeded” athlete. Alana Levy, the fastest New York City woman at last year’s TCS New York City Marathon, shares how she leveled up from casual runner to toeing the line with the pros..

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This week, Rob is joined by marathon mom Carey Socol for this special Mother’s Day episode. Carey’s been a New York Road Runners member since 1999 and has run 74 marathons and 64 half marathons, many while raising children. She shares how running helped her manage the stress and anxiety that came from working a full-time job while also parenting. Carey attributes Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run method to helping her mentally and physically prepare for races and staying motivated to run most days of the week. After the sudden death of her longtime partner just two weeks before hitting her goal of running a marathon in all 50 states before turning 50, Carey ran in his honor with friends cheering her on. Also joining the podcast is Dalma Garcia to talk about how she balances marathon training with being a mother to her two daughters while also caring for her ailing mom.

NYRR Mindful 5K Recap: (01:15)
Carey Socol – MarathonMom: (06:51)
50 State Marathon Quiz: (36:41)
NYRR Member Dalma Garcia: (44:57)
The Meb Minute: (52:18)


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SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

DISCLAIMER

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.