Rise and Run
Rise and Run
205: Rise and Run With Meb. Miles, Medals, and Motivation
What does it take to rise from refugee to Olympic medalist? Marathon legend Meb Keflezighi reveals his extraordinary journey from war-torn Eritrea to becoming the only American to win Boston, New York, and an Olympic medal in the marathon.
Meb's story begins with a father who walked 225 miles to escape persecution, a family separated for five years, and a young boy who discovered his talent by simply trying to earn an A in PE class. From his surprising 5:20 mile as a seventh-grader to his dramatic silver medal in Athens and unforgettable 2014 Boston Marathon victory, Meb shares the mental strategies, training philosophies, and life perspectives that fueled his historic career.
What makes this conversation special is how Meb connects with runners of all abilities. Despite his elite status, he understands the universal challenges we face – bad training days, race disappointments, and the mental battles we fight. When he talks about walking during marathons or falling at the Olympic finish line, we're reminded that greatness isn't about perfection but perseverance.
For those preparing for upcoming Disney races, Meb offers practical training advice: space out your runs, keep long runs significantly slower than race pace, and prioritize recovery. His emphasis on balancing quality over quantity provides a refreshing perspective for runners at any level.
The podcast also features a spotlight on Megan, who transformed from a back-of-pack runner to discovering new speed at the Panerathon 10K, plus race reports from across the country showing how summer training is leading to fall PRs. With Disney Halloween weekend just days away, this episode delivers the perfect blend of inspiration and practical wisdom to fuel your running journey.
Join us for this unforgettable conversation with a true running legend who reminds us that "running to win doesn't mean getting first place, but getting the best out of yourself."
Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Expo lights and cheering lines, costumes, bright and hopeful signs. We're not alone. This path is wide, with every listener by our side, from training tips to tales that shine inspiration in every line. We may fall, but we rise again, fueled by community and friends. The road is long, but we belong in this rhythm, in this song. Rise and run from start to the run. Together we shine like the morning sun. Rise and run. We rise and run. We rise and run.
Speaker 2:Hey everybody, we rise and run. Hey everybody, it is time to rise and run. This is Andrew in Atlanta, out to do a Sunday afternoon training run in 94 degree heat, getting ready for Marathon Weekend.
Speaker 3:Andrew from a hot and steamy Atlanta with this week's introduction. Thank you, andrew, for introducing episode 205 of the Rise and Run podcast. I'm Bob and I'm here this week with Alicia. Hello With John how you doing With Greg. Hey, hey, hey.
Speaker 3:And with Lexi. Hello, Good to see you, my friends. Exciting episode this week, friends, One we've been talking about for a while, One we've been looking forward to for a while. This week we spend about 45 minutes with American racing legend Meb Kovleski. You won't want to miss it. It was a great interview. We had a wonderful time. What a great interview. We had a wonderful time. What a good guy and a lot of things that you and I can take from that interview. So I think that it was quite worthwhile. In our spotlight. Our friend Megan ran a 10K and Megan's been doing great and she'll share her story with you.
Speaker 4:If you enjoy the Rise and Run podcast, please share us with your friends and introduce them to the Rise and Run family. We want to share in their Run Disney journey. Please remember to follow us on Facebook at Rise and Run Podcast, Instagram at Rise and Run Pod. Check out our YouTube channel and visit our webpage at riseandrunpodcastcom. If you have a question, comment, comment, race report or want to introduce an upcoming episode, call us at 727-266-2344 and leave us a recorded message we need them, friends.
Speaker 5:That was the last one, so we need new intros, please we also want to thank our patreons, whose support keeps the rise and run podcast rising and running, and we would like to welcome two new Patreons. We have Amy at the how you Do and level and Adrian and Emily at the Mandalorian level. If you would like to join the Patreon team, you can check out patreoncom slash rise and run podcast.
Speaker 6:The Rise and Run podcast is sponsored by our friends over at Magic Bound Travel and I know there's a lot of excitement in the Disney community because Disney IT finally got their act together and finally figured out how to make reservations available for the new tavern in Magic Kingdom, the Beak and Barrel, oh yeah right.
Speaker 6:So if you fancy a alcoholic beverage in the Magic Kingdom with the beak and barrel oh yeah, right. So if you fancy a alcoholic beverage in the Magic Kingdom with a octopus tentacle hanging out of it, you'll want to head over to the Magic Kingdom and down to Walt Disney World. And if you need any assistance in those travel planning needs, our friends at Magic Bound can surely help you out. Be sure to visit magicboundtravelcom for all of your Disney vacation planning needs.
Speaker 3:All right, Thank you guys. A quick apology and alibi section. I want to update some of the race report from last week. Our friend Tracy did the Track Shack race over in Orlando and I missed that In the Race Report Spotlight. Last week we had our friends who did the relay race in Snow-Homish, Washington, and Vanessa contacted me. She wanted to make sure to credit. We did mention it, but she wanted to single out Renee again, who the relay was really her idea. She wanted to single out Renee again, who the relay was really her idea. She was integral to all the logistics and she hosted a pre-race pasta dinner for all of them. So I think that by itself is worth mentioning and we did. Again. We talked about the half marathon in Ouray, Colorado. We mentioned Victoria's mom had actually done back-to-back PRs because this was her second half marathon. So PR on the first one, PR on this one. But we didn't have mom's name. Mom's name is Erin. So there we go. Clean all that up.
Speaker 3:Let's take a look at the training schedule. We're here, kids. Disney Halloween weekend is one week away. Seven days from today is the Expo. We're in training week 17. As Greg likes to say, the hay is in the barn Not that he made that up, but he likes to say it. That's cool.
Speaker 3:So you've just got four miles on your training schedule this week. If you're working for the Wine and Dine Challenge, it's eight weeks away. Now, Boy, that's going to be here before we know it. We're in training week eight. It's a double up a one mile walk and an eight mile run walk, and we're 19 weeks away from marathon weekend. We're in training week nine. If you're on the experience marathon schedule, it's a four miler goofy and dopey challenges, three miles, and I haven't mentioned it for a while, but we're getting here to bird enhance next week. So we'll be seeing a bunch of our friends in the Amish country in Pennsylvania this time next week also. All right, let's take a look and let's chat about training. Guys, we're getting heavily into the training schedule now. How is your training going?
Speaker 6:I will say I had a. How is your training going? I will say I had a unique long run this past weekend, so I had one of those specialized, customized workouts that Coach Twiggs gives us just to help mix things up here or there.
Speaker 6:Uh, exercise required the idea of not looking at your watch and trying to see if you can internalize the paces that you've been working on. And it's really the only time, or I should say the only workout in the, the galloway method of various runs and and and training and such, where you are going race pace the entire time. But again, the trick is not to look at your watch and try to get back to your starting point in 60 minutes. And I was doubly disappointed because, number one, I got back to my car 90 seconds late. So that means either I just went out a little bit too fast or my. You know I was just struggling on that, you know the back half of that. But then I think the more quasi depressing thing for me was I was about 45 to 50 seconds off of my race pace. I would like I would have been okay if it was like 10 to 15 seconds here or there, and you know accounting for. You know it's the summertime still. You know there's still a little bit of humidity in the air and such, but the fact that there was that much I I kind of got down on myself a little bit, but then I was like, okay, I I need to find the good in this, and the good was is that my average pace for almost six miles was at an average pace that I have not seen in a very, very long time, yeah, greg and it was, you know, it was just over 11 minutes per mile and I was like, okay, I haven't, you know, I haven't seen that you know kind of number for that long not for six months, not for an
Speaker 6:hour. Yeah, correct, and so it's. It's a situation where I was like okay, you, okay, maybe I'm a unicorn in the sense that the concept of the magic Mile works well if you're in pristine running conditions and you're on a relatively flat course. What I was on this past weekend was relatively flat, a few rolling hills here or there, but by the time I went out it was still in the mid-70s and obviously, as we all talk about, in terms of the slowing down, those ideal conditions are anything below 60 degrees. So I have to just do a little bit better job of not beating myself up as much, finding the good.
Speaker 6:I'm glad that I did. I got over it very, very quickly. You know, I threw myself a, you know, a 10 minute pity party and then, and then I moved on and I know it will get there. You know, just because you get a new set of paces when you run, a magic mile doesn't mean you're immediately going to be able to comfortably run those miles immediately. It's going to take time, it's going to take practice and I just got to learn to be a little bit more patient with myself, sounds good to take practice and I just got to learn to be a little bit more patient with myself.
Speaker 4:Sounds good. So I'm still a little bit behind because I was dealing with my back. But this last weekend I had seven miles on my training plan and usually what I've been doing is just taking it slower on the long runs, like we usually do. But I wanted to see where my race space kind of was for a little bit of a longer distance and just see how everything was feeling. And I went out and my paces were a lot better than they have been in a number of years and I felt absolutely fantastic on that run and so I mean I was pushing a little bit, not like all out, but overall it went really really well. My back was okay, so I was really happy with the progression that I've made. Um, and I know I'm a runner and obviously I'm a run coach, but I haven't really felt like a runner in a little bit, and so that run really gave me the self-esteem that I needed to get back out there and feel motivated.
Speaker 3:So that's a good point. That's a good point.
Speaker 5:Yeah, even when we're not at our best, we're still runners, absolutely. We're committed to the running family and committed to finishing our runs and if you run you're a runner. Started training for springtime yet as far as running goes, but I was able to do an exercise with my trainer that I was not able to do a month ago, nice, the. I don't know if y'all are familiar with the roman chair at the gym where, like it has like arm things and you're trying to hold yourself up and lift your knees up to your chest, but like holding your weight with your elbows. I was not able to do that a month ago and I was able to do three sets of five, nice.
Speaker 6:Good job, lexi. I got to ask you are there any machines at a gym that terrify you?
Speaker 5:I mean with my trainer now we don't do much of the machines. We stay in the like personal training area and do more like functional things, because we're not really focusing on weight lifting as much as we are on strengthening my core and my hips and like that kind of stuff. Um, we do like battle ropes and like pushing weights on a cart and like that kind of stuff. Um, I mean, honestly, the Roman chair terrified me because I failed at it and like I couldn't hold my weight. Whenever I first tried it, I slipped off and my trainer was super nice about it the first time and he was like we'll just try something else, and he like pivoted immediately. But I still felt embarrassed, um, and so when he said we were doing it again, I'm like are you sure about that?
Speaker 6:Because I don't know if I want to go over there, but yeah, I was going to see if you were going to say the same thing I was thinking of, because in my strength training that I've been trying to focus on just as equally as my running for these past couple of months. I've been trying to focus on just as equally as my running for these past couple of months. The one machine there that terrifies me is that assisted chin-up machine and I'm like I want to get on that thing so badly so I can work on my chest and my shoulders, because I love machines or exercises that are like a great bang for your buck, where you're working all sorts of muscles as opposed to just, you know, isolating something. And I want to get on that thing so bad and I'm like terrified that like I'm gonna get on there and I'm gonna do it wrong and then either I'm gonna like fly up over and do a flip over the thing or something like that.
Speaker 5:so I don't know about you guys, but like I feel like everybody's watching me whenever I cause I'm like I'm going to do it wrong and I'm just with my trainer and nobody's paying attention.
Speaker 3:They're not. Yeah, they're not.
Speaker 5:Because I know I'm not paying attention to anybody else, right?
Speaker 3:Right, that's right.
Speaker 5:But like it's that mental struggle of like I don't want to try this and fail, so I'm just not going to do it.
Speaker 8:So, Greg, to give you a little advice. I don't know if it's the same one that I have at my gym. It's an assisted pull-up machine.
Speaker 6:It's also an assisted dip machine.
Speaker 8:Yes, Yep, start with the dips first. So you're, so that you're going down and you can figure out what kind of counterbalance you need to do what you need to do okay and then. So if you know you're going there that way, it's just a pull-up, so you're not going like oh, let me just put on. Like you know, all this weighty pin the thing up, bang greg's to the ceiling launch.
Speaker 6:I'm picturing myself now as like wiley coyote and there's just a a shape of me in the ceiling Launch. I'm picturing myself now as like Wile E Coyote, and there's just a shape of me in the ceiling of my local gym. No, that's some really good advice, John, because if there's one thing that I am getting very frustrated with, because I'm excited like I'm starting to get some definition in my biceps and in my shoulders, but, boy, when I put my arms up and I just see my flabby triceps, I'm like God, I got to work these more and more and more. So dips will definitely help with that. Yes, they will.
Speaker 8:It must be a good week for us because I went out there and I got a better pace than I have gotten in a while. I went out later in the day because I had a lot of stuff going on in the morning. I couldn't just get out in the morning. Unfortunately, I went out later in the day when it was a little warmer. I said I'll just go out, do my run and just take my time and do it. I wasn't paying attention to my watch. Then I get home I look at everything. Wow, I did this. This was better. I wasn't trying to go faster, but I was like almost a lot faster than I was last week and I'm like this is pretty cool. I go, I wasn't thinking about it. Maybe that's what I got to do, Not think, Just go, you know, turn the watch off.
Speaker 8:Maybe, but maybe, and I know that one loop now is how many miles it is, so I can almost do it without like running, running with a piece of paper over the watch. Who knows that? That's. That was my big thing, summer training fall PRS.
Speaker 3:There's a little bit of that going on. I don't know if it's cooled off for you guys yet. It's cooled off in Florida because we're getting a lot of rain right now.
Speaker 8:We're getting a lot of cool mornings and we're still getting up there in the afternoon.
Speaker 5:We're having fake fall right now.
Speaker 6:No, that's a perfect representation, Lexi. The dew points here in the northeast right now are wonderful and I keep praying to the weather. Gods, I'm like please hold for another week and a half so we can have these dew points and these temperatures for Bird in Hand.
Speaker 8:I know they were talking about 40-something dew points.
Speaker 6:Yes.
Speaker 3:Oh please, that's nice, that's really nice that will also help keep the Italian ice cool on.
Speaker 8:Mile 9 during birdie hand.
Speaker 3:Yes, Training update. I had zero miles of training this week, but the good news is it's Thursday and my surgery's over. Everything went great.
Speaker 3:Hooray, it's not really Thursday, is it, gang? It's Thursday when you're listening. It's not really Thursday, it's Tuesday when we're recording. So I had procedures set for Thursday. I've been down this road before. This is a little bit different. Since the surgeries on my back, I never had that before. The last couple have been on the legs. But this process of recovery is the same. Take it easy, we'll go through it together, and I mean that my friends, we'll go through it together, and I mean that my friends, we'll go through it together. I'll pour that, dickens, out of you telling you what's going on.
Speaker 3:I yeah. I don't have much else to add, except I want to acknowledge all of the wonderful well wishes I've received so far and I want you to know whether you contacted me personally or whether you didn't. I know you're there. I know you're there. I know you got my back, and it almost sounds silly for me to say this, because I didn't grow up this way. I didn't feel this way before, but I feel this way now. It makes a difference to me. Just knowing that you're there makes a difference. With all of you in my corner, I cannot possibly fail. So I'm looking forward to getting this out of the way and getting back on the road, and we'll see you soon, and I absolutely expect to be at Burden Hand, and, of course, I'm not going to be running, but I sure want to see you there.
Speaker 6:Well, I think you can work on your cheering training, though. I remember a while back, ali always gave us updates on the number of woo-hoos and claps and cowbell shakes and stuff like that, so you should start working on that.
Speaker 8:And, like I did say, you have that Whoopie Pie Festival right down the road from the Verdon Ant Place.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's right, that's right. I figure I got two hours to go check that thing out.
Speaker 6:If Bob mysteriously disappears, we know he's at the Whoopie Pie Festival.
Speaker 3:Yeah, show up for the start, come back two hours later, I'll be in good shape.
Speaker 6:Actually, no, bob. What I really want you to do is I want you to cheer. As long as the weather holds out and it's good, I want you to be cheering from the hot air balloon as we're coming across the finish line.
Speaker 3:Wouldn't that be cool? Yeah, I would love to do that. I don't think it's going to happen, greg, but that would be really neat.
Speaker 9:If I can do it, I'll do it. Caution runners. Change of topic ahead.
Speaker 3:Hey, a new segment on the Rise and Run podcast. We call it. What Would Alicia Do?
Speaker 4:So my hope for this is I think a lot, I am an overanalyzer.
Speaker 3:You got to stop that. I get headaches when.
Speaker 4:I do that and I think of topics all the time. Sometimes I think of little questions that I want to ask you guys and sometimes they're more deep topics, but for this week I have a question for you guys. That kind of goes with what we're talking about with Meb and our spotlight this week. So I was curious what your favorite motivational quote is.
Speaker 3:Okay, I'll start for you if you'd like. I'm not sure this is where you're going, but at one of Jeff's early well, like his second or third Jeff Galloway half marathon in Atlanta used to be a bigger production. He had guest speakers there and his guest speaker was Billy Mills. Billy Mills is a Native American and the only American to win the Olympic gold medal in the 10K. He was not the favorite, he wasn't the favorite American, but he pulled it off and he told us this very compelling story. And, as he said, he's in the race he got us. If you get a chance, youtube I've said this before YouTube Billy Mills wins Olympic 10 K.
Speaker 3:He gets jostled off and he's telling himself I may not finish first, but today I'm a winner. And I use that sometimes I may not finish first, but today I'm a winner. And then there's one more same race the announcer if I want jet fuel, if I want to just get fired up and I have to use this sparingly because it's really an adrenaline kick. As they're turning the last corner and heading down the home stretch, there's an announcer who starts screaming look at Mills, look at Mills. That'll get me going.
Speaker 3:That'll really get me going. So I think those are mine.
Speaker 4:John, you got one.
Speaker 8:Actually there's one. I'm going to kind of paraphrase it. You got one. Actually there's one. I I'm gonna kind of paraphrase it. Michael jordan had a quote. I failed over and over again in life.
Speaker 6:That's why I succeed. Yeah, for me my favorite comes um from the uh the great fake professional quarterback, uh, shane falco of the Washington Sentinels from the movie the Replacements. I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn't be our style. Pain heals chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever. I do love that quote, but I'm actually silly with that one. The quote I really like and and I cannot remember where I heard it first, but it is always resonated with me and that is shoot for the moon because even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. And and that has always that that one has always had a profound impact on me that you know, even if maybe you don't reach that a goal, there's opportunities for other goals in in that conquest that you went on. So yeah.
Speaker 4:So to our listeners. Hopefully those were some motivational quotes for you. Like I said, I hope that we'll have some deeper topics and some fun topics that you all can get inspired. Get in on the topic with us and I will leave you with mine. My favorite quote is you can do anything you put your mind to.
Speaker 3:And that was what would Alicia do.
Speaker 6:There is one thing I do want to bring up, and I know she's not here tonight, but do we think Jack is going to get upset that Alicia gets a segment, even though for years we have always teased the segment of insert your own word here, stuff that Jack says?
Speaker 3:but they hear what she says that's a weekly feature yeah that's a regular, also interspersed throughout the episode yes, hey, friends, that's a regular, also Interspersed throughout the episode.
Speaker 3:Hey, friends, we had a chance. Your Rise and Run friends had a chance to visit with the Ducks. Disney, with the Ducks podcast, came calling and we are on their latest episode. It was fun. They're a great group of people. So if you're looking for something else to listen to after you listen to Meb, who's coming up right now, go visit with the Ducks.
Speaker 3:Caution runners. The topic is about to change right now. Friends in the sports world, you know you've made it big when you're known by one name. Baseball fans know who the Babe is, international football fans know Pele and Maradona, and in American distance running, there's only one Meb. Let me go through some, just some of the highlights of this amazing career.
Speaker 3:Let's start in 2004, the Athens Olympics, where Meb wins the silver medal, the first US medal in the Olympics since 1976. In 2009, becomes the first American to win the New York City Marathon since 1982. 2012, finished fourth in his second Olympics, the London Olympics, in what may be and I'm sure we'll talk about this more his most dramatic win the 2014 Boston Marathon, first American to win Boston since 1985. That made him the only person to win Boston, new York and an Olympic marathon medal. And then in 2016,. In Rio, meb qualified for and finished his third Olympic marathon, putting a unique spin on the way to finish an Olympic marathon. From his inspiring journey as a young immigrant to his work with the Meb Foundation, meb's journey and story is about perseverance, purpose and the joy of running, and we are so excited and happy to welcome Meb Kovleski to the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 10:Thanks, bob, for that wonderful introduction. It means a lot for me to be on your podcast, rise and Run podcast. I hope to share some of my stories. Some of them are funny, some of them I have not, some serious, but hopefully we'll be able to just share those moments. And thanks for that wonderful introduction.
Speaker 3:Well, absolutely my pleasure. I've been looking forward to it. You know I did get a chance to meet with Meb in Tampa. He's got an annual running event to benefit the Meb Foundation, which we will talk about as we go along. But one of the first things that you did there, meb, you opened the event by telling this great story about how you got started running in high school. Could you, let's start there. Could you share that please?
Speaker 10:So yeah, bob, when I came here to the United States in 1987, I was in sixth grade and I had no idea running was a sport. The only thing you play a sport or run is chase the soccer ball. And at one point in fact, you know, I live in San Diego and we just dribble the soccer ball on the sidewalk, go to the park it's called Morley Field and we see people running. I'm like what's going on? What are they running from? What's?
Speaker 7:going on. They're crazy.
Speaker 10:Where's the ball? And then, a year later, coach Dick Lord from San Diego, pe teacher at Roosevelt Junior High, said if you run hard you're going to get an A or B, if you mess around or goof around you're going to get a D or F. But my parents want us to strive to get an A, e, e as an excellent citizenship. So I have 12 brothers that ran that wore the shirt that says Roosevelt my club t-shirt and I wanted to be like them. And when I heard Coach Duke Lord's direction, I just ran as hard as I could to get an A. And it was a seventh grader. You have to run 615 for the boys and eight minutes for the girls. And to his surprise and mine and everyone else's, I ended up running a five minutes and 20 seconds. And that's when my God given talent was discovered. And he goes. You're going to go to the Olympics.
Speaker 10:But I grew up in Eritrea for the first 10 years of my life, in Horn of Africa, east Africa, that we didn't have electricity, we didn't have running water or television. So that's the first time I ever heard the word Olympics and I went to that afternoon to ask my dad what is the Olympics and he explained to me what happened. Explained to me, he's like. He said I ran 520. He's like that's faster than your brother's. Tell the truth, I said I ran 520. He's like that's faster than your brother. He says tell the truth, I said I ran 520. And he explained to me how the Olympic there were five rings, different colors, the continents, and then able to peace and harmony, to get together the world every four year for a friendly competition. That's how I was introduced to running. And, yes, I got an A. And eventually Coach got an A. And eventually Coach Dick Lord was right, I was a four-time Olympian, down the road and winning a silver medal.
Speaker 3:Yeah, awesome that first memory. Did you fall in love with running at the time, or did it take a little while?
Speaker 10:No, since I was a soccer player before that. I didn't run, but I love sports. And Pele, as you mentioned earlier by first name, that's the first athlete my dad told us when we I was separate. My family and I were separated from my dad for about five years, from the age of five to 10. We didn't see our father. He was. You know, he has to walk from Eritrea to Sudan to save his life from the war that was going on in Eritrea versus Ethiopia and he was wanted by the Ethiopian soldiers so he was going to get prison or killed. So my mom just encouraged him to escape but to not forget us. And so from age 5, 10, I didn't see him.
Speaker 10:But when we went to Italy, his whole dream was can I see my kids one day? Can I play soccer with them on the weekend? So, and when we got connected after five years, he told us about pele. How was? He was playing barefoot, and then he got discovered and he wanted us to be an athlete. He always encouraged us to do push-ups, sit-ups and drills and all those things. And then, uh, the rest is history.
Speaker 10:But even when he came to the united states, that did the same thing, just encouraged us to do sports, and you know soccer mainly. We didn't know running was a sport yet. But you know that was how my running started. But I fell in love with it. I started making friends. I didn't speak English so I was kind of a very timid, shy kid. And once I started running though when I ran that 520, I was known as the fastest seventh grader People running, though when I ran that 520, I was known as the fastest seventh grader people give me thumbs up and high five in the gym. So yeah, that's how that's how I'm.
Speaker 4:Typically. I'm a shy person, but sports have helped me overcome that timidness or shyness. So, speaking of that, 520 obviously that's. That's really fast. Did you automatically assume that you would be going into that elite level or did it just kind of happen naturally as you went on in your running career?
Speaker 10:Alicia, I was just running to get an A and a t-shirt. I didn't know there was anything beyond that, I just wanted to get that A and a t-shirt. And yeah, I mean, mean people kind of saw, when I was in ninth grade I was that said, that was 520, improved by 10 second by the end of the year. And I was short. So even though we were in seventh grade, we had the tall people compete against the tall people, the short people run against the short people, and there was another guy that ran 517. I ended up running 510 by the end of the year. So I improved and uh, but no, I fell in love with it and I didn't know. I didn't know what was gonna take me. I really didn't.
Speaker 10:And in ninth grade is when I started competing cross country and then eventually just get I want to be on the cross country team to all those brothers who were on it and I was. In fact, when I was in eighth grade I was behind a tree hoping that one day I can be in their shoes. And then in eighth grade I self-coached myself. I just went. I got up at 5 am in the morning, just ran as hard as I could. I didn't have the GPS or anything like that at the time. I just had my Sony Walkman or a disc player, a CD player and all that stuff. I'm with you. I'm with you, you know what it's skips and all that stuff. That's how I run. But San Diego is a hilly course. So the question was do I do the hill at the beginning or at the end, and counterclockwise or clockwise? That's the only two. And until probably last year I have no idea how far that run was, but I would try to beat yesterday. That's all I tried to do.
Speaker 10:And then eventually, ninth grade, I started running cross countries. My time started improving and people, by my senior year or so, people knew that I was going to go to the Olympics, had it foreshadowed. And then they saw, you know, in my yearbook they signed you're going to go to the Olympics, you're going to win a medal, you can write, you can go to any college you want. I'm like, what do you mean? I just I mean, I was a good student. I was really good student. My sat were not great, but I was willing to work as hard as I can. And then I said don't forget this. They said don't forget the small people. You're gonna make it big, is what they said, but hopefully I haven't. Uh, I got a lot of accomplishment, but I'm still a little person.
Speaker 3:Can we step back just a minute, Meb, because obviously your father is a huge influence in your life. Can you talk a little bit about his and your journey that eventually got you to the United States?
Speaker 10:Absolutely. Both my parents are my role models. I was with Ashbet, he and Rusum Kafleski. You know my mom, god bless her. You know, when my dad left she had five kids born and then one on the way. But they promised each other that if I make it a safe land, I will save after you and then name the kid because there's no way of telling the gender. If it's a boy, call him the Mnet. If it's a boy, call her the mnet. If it's a girl, call her. I mean, I was. It means we trust um, we have trust each other and I'll save you to a better place.
Speaker 10:And then he did um, but she walked, you know, 15k. I ran it. When I went back to eritrea I ran it. Say what she was doing. It was nine and a half miles from the capital to adrugambola, which is my dad's village, to make a phone call, because the wagon you know the wagon they took their way of transportation. It costs 25 cents but the wagon is not going to leave until it gets packed. So you know, but she would walk on her foot to be able to make a phone call with our dad so she can assemble the paperwork and all that's what needs to be done and, if you know, and then she would go to 98 kilometers, maybe in two days, with my brothers and her taking oxen to her, my mom's village.
Speaker 10:It was incredible story and my dad did his part as much as he could to be able to. You know, he worked extremely hard as a janitor landscaper in Italy in the snow, shoveling the snow, and he got acquainted really well with his boss, dr Brindisi, and, yeah, they became friends. And Dr Brindisi asked him one day he's like why you work so hard? And my dad said I got to work hard so I can collect enough money to save my family. And as they became friends, one day my dad asked if Dr Brindisi could do him a favor. And Dr Brindisi said what is it? I need you if you could lend me money to save my family. And Dr Brindisi asked how much do you need? My dad says I need about 10 million lira.
Speaker 10:In 1986, that was about 6,000 US dollars and Dr Brindisi said come back. On Wednesday, when my dad returned, he gave him 10 million lira and an envelope of cash and he said this is not a loan, this is a gift. Oh, my goodness. But also we have a second mother, leta Michael-Towelde, who also I have a sister. My dad had a daughter from her, ruth, and they worked together to help us escape from Eritrea. So it's an incredible story Run to Overcome my autobiography. It's been published so people can read that, whether through audio, or you can get it on Amazon or through my website, marathonmibcom, and I could personalize it. But that's the story, that's the synopsis. Short and to the point, but that's the story of the family.
Speaker 3:Thank you for sharing that. And I haven't read Marathon Mib. I've read Mib for Mortals and 26 Marathons.
Speaker 10:Marathon Mib is my website. Run to Overcome is out of our way. Run to.
Speaker 3:Overcome. Thank you, okay, right, okay, thank you, yeah, all right, so that's next on my list.
Speaker 10:All right, appreciate it. No, it's a. It's a. I mean, like I said, it's a beautiful. God was with us through all the trial and tribulation and the you know we can talk about later. But the run to overcome, the reason that did that is I accomplished a lot in my running, but my brothers and sisters have equally accomplished in their own fields. And the story came after I won the New York city marathon because I did not go to Beijing and I'm skipping the head probably, but you know I did make the Beijing Olympics where I won a silver in 04, trying to make a comeback win another medal for our country. But due to a stretch fracture, I didn't have to reset my goals, reassess my body, get a lot of advice and then that's why the reason is called Run to Overcome.
Speaker 8:Okay so, Meb, you raced at the very highest levels of this sport, but you've also been a fixture at community races. What's your favorite part about interacting with everyday runners like us?
Speaker 10:With everyday runners. I have a lot of respect because I know we talked about earlier my God given talent and running comes easy. It's not easy. It comes easier to me, but to others it does not. And it comes easy, it's not easy. It comes easier to me, but to others it does not.
Speaker 10:But my dad, the reason I'm empathetic or have a feeling for those middle of the pack or the back of the pack runners are because they wake up so early to log in miles before they go for a run or, excuse me, between lunchtime or work you know doing in the evening after work. And my dad woke us up, similarly at 4 30 am to learn english as the dictionary before going to 7 30 o'clock, o'clock. So we have a lot of parallel there that I worked extremely hard to learn english and you guys work extremely hard to finish half marathon or full marathon or even sometimes 5k and 10k. So that's where the mutual respect comes in, because, man, I was working hard to get the you know, to learn English, the vocabularies English and Tigrinya. And I know you know everyday runners work also extremely hard to stay fit, to stay healthy, trying to be an example for others.
Speaker 3:I remember Alberto Salazar writing and saying he couldn't imagine running for seven hours. That's about how long it takes me to finish a marathon these days, and there are a lot of us out there like that, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 10:Absolutely. I mean, I think it's important to understand. You know everybody have different gifts, different talent, different motivation. But as long as you set your goals to say I'm going to get to the finish line, it doesn't matter how long it takes you, it's all about even. We'll talk about Rio, but I struggled in Rio. I stopped seven times, but people encourage you. I've done other races where I DNF or did not finish. It's heartbreaking for all of us, no matter what level you are. But getting to that finish line is magical, for all of us are. But getting to that finish line is magical for all of us. It doesn't matter if you're trying to win or top 10 or top three or just getting the best SPR or you know, some people, the everyday runner, never imagined doing a marathon, and then tears fall off when come across the finish line. So it's magical for everyone.
Speaker 8:It's wonderful. Yeah, thanks. That's great when you're in the middle of a race and things aren't going according to plan. What mental tools do you rely on to stay focused?
Speaker 10:When I'm in the middle of the race, I try to be focused on what I'm doing and the beauty of running is you know if it's not, you know, you have prediction.
Speaker 10:I think I can hold this pace. Maybe I cannot hold this pace, so the beauty is you can hit the brakes a little bit and collect yourself. But I do a lot of prayers, whether it's in a little bit of Italian, a little bit of Tigrina, a little bit of an English, whatever works. I'm willing to say God, help me get to that next step, next mile, and sometimes, like, for example, new York 2013, my mind says lift your right leg. And I was going for a win. I was not the best condition I've been, but the race organizer asked me to come and, as a competitor that I am, I gave all that I have for the 19 miles and then 19.2,. My body just says you're not going anywhere and it was the weirdest feeling ever. So basically, it just says okay, I didn't fall, I didn't hurt myself. I feeling ever. So basically he just says okay, I didn't fall, I didn't hurt myself. I know how it feels to be in the top 10. I know how it feels to win, but I'm going to get to that finish line and a lot of things come to your head and saying motivation my dad, walking over 225 miles, saved his life. Or the cancellation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012,. New York city marathon. Or the bombing in the Boston marathonathon 2013, people who would not get able to finish. I put that on myself. I say you know what, I'm gonna get that finish line, no matter how long it takes me.
Speaker 10:But I struggle. You know, sometimes I talk about the 520 when I was seventh grade and I usually run about under five minutes for per mile for 26.2 miles. But that mile from 19 to 20, it took me twice as long. It was like 958 or 957. But what is the wheels is a way.
Speaker 10:I said I'm going to walk, see what it is, and people encourage you, support you and cheer you on and then eventually walk, run, walk, run, walk and run. And then eventually I ran into Mike Cassidy from Staten Island. I met him that morning morning and then we encouraged each other with 5k to go and he was stronger than I was but he could have left me in the dust, but he encouraged me, he ran every step with me and we finished hand in hand and that's what the connection with everyday athlete is. That's what you have to think in the moment. Why, why not me? Sometimes, and then the other times is like you know what? I'm just going to get to that finish line, no matter what, because people to the front of you, to the back of you, to the side of you are giving you a thumbs up or word of encouragement, and that keeps you going.
Speaker 3:This this is what I'm sorry. This is what I think is unique about running in the running community. I am here speaking with one of the greatest distance runners of all time and I get it. Meb, I understand what you're talking about. Your five minute miles are my 11 minute miles, but I get it and I think that's what our friends who are listening today will appreciate I mean, I remember reading 26 marathons will appreciate. I mean, I remember reading 26 Marathons. You had an injury problem. You broke a hip. I believe in the what was it? The 2007 trials, correct November of 2007.
Speaker 3:And you were talking about recovering and the trials and tribulations you went through and I went. I know what that's like. It's such a thrill to hear from you and it's so motivational. I appreciate it.
Speaker 10:And I think, the unique thing about us we share the same road, whether it's 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, like you said. The paces might be different, but the journey itself is the same. The training is similar. Some of us, we do it for profession and try to be as efficient, as quick as possible by the end of the day. When I say I ran four miles, you know exactly how far a mile is. Oh, I did that yesterday. Or I did it last week. Or when you say I did a half marathon, you know exactly what pain you went through, the aches and pains and the exhaustion that goes into it.
Speaker 10:And the next day we're walking backward. It doesn't matter when you're in the front of the pack or the middle of the pack or the back of the back. You're struggling, going. You know, the day before you do strides and the next day barely going through the security of the airport, struggling. You know we all relate to that and I think you know our sport, with respect, is mutual and and the understanding of how hard it is, because you know, without training we would not know. But I I know I can't like, if you ask me to do a marathon tomorrow, there's no way I can do it, but I respect the training, I respect the perseverance, and then eventually give me eight weeks, or 10, 12 weeks, and then I'll be there and hopefully in a better shape than I was. But everyone can relate to that. And then the thing is we pave the road for the middle of the pack, the back of the pack, but at the end of the day we all are marathoners.
Speaker 8:There was something you said in that last thing. You walked during a marathon. You walked during a marathon. But a lot of our listeners do the run-walk method. So we run a little bit, we walk a little bit, but people say, well, I'm not a real runner because I walk in a race. I mean you saying that I don't think anyone out there is going to say you're not a real runner. So I think that was great for our listeners to hear.
Speaker 10:No, it's important. Jeff Galloway thing program is the, where you know got to respect, give, respect is due and he has a chance for more of the sport to be able to do the run walk.
Speaker 10:He sure has have walked marathons. I try to walk half marathon but I can do the injury or get ready for a race. I couldn't do it. But yeah, I mean Rio. I walked seven times and then the fall at the end is a surprise, but I struggle. So whenever you can, if you can get ahead of the game.
Speaker 10:I do coaching online now and I tell people sometimes you got to start with walking and then half a mile walk and then you go a mile, so whatever it is to get you to fitness. But also I tell people sometimes you got to start with walking and then half a mile walk and then you go a mile, so whatever it is to get to the fitness. But also I have people who used to walk in the marathon and they shaved off 45 minute training with my program, run Dot, and be able to say you got us to not run, I mean to run throughout the whole thing and it's a magical thing. I tell them jokingly. I I said you were running 28 miles before. I'm ranking you around 26 points miles because now you saved up 40 minutes or 30 sec, 30 minutes or things like that is it's magical, but it is good for everybody. Depends where you are, sometimes even in training. I have walked toward the finish because my body just kind of gave up on me I was, I was going to save, but you brought it up.
Speaker 3:I remember watching the Rio Marathon and the finish. It was wet, right, and it rained, and well, look, you tell us how the finish went.
Speaker 10:So the finish, you know, to the great John Bonoy, the great legend, first woman to ever win the gold medal in LA 1984. So you know, we talked. I didn't take my hat off at the trials, which was in la, and then at the rio olympics. I'm like this is finally my last olympics, I'm gonna be like her, take my, have my hat here, actually, so my 26 hat.
Speaker 10:I was going like this, I'm running. I said that guy in front of me, I can't catch him. The guy behind me, he's not gonna catch me, I'm gonna in. And then all of a sudden I'm like, okay, let me just tip my hat off for everybody, like Johnny did. And then as soon as I went for my hat, I slipped my left knee, went straight down, my right leg went straight out. Like a gymnast, I'm like, I always went. I'm fascinated how the gymnast can be so flexible. But that day, unexpectedly, right before the finish line, and I dragged myself I'm a big football fan dragged myself to the finish line and I did. It was dead quiet, everybody just saw me fall.
Speaker 10:It was like ooh, I'm like I got to let them. I'm okay, I got to let them. Okay, I'm going to do three push-ups for my girls One, two, three. Push up for my girls, one, two, three. And then, literally, I know that the timing chip is on my foot, so you know. I learned that later on, but so that's what happened, and a lot of people. By the way, I was running when that year in chicago, by the um lake shore, was a person we're running and he stopped and then he did. I thought he had hamstring issue. He did the push-up. He goes in your honor. And then a lot of people haven't done. I didn't want to met on Rio, but the push-up went viral and, uh, even at the Air Force Marathon I was there and I had a lot of the people in the uniform. All 26 of us were in the push-up. So it it was pretty cool.
Speaker 3:It is. It's classic. If you haven't seen it, friends, look for it. It's just, it is so cool. It is such a cool, calm and collective way to take what's a little mini adversity and turn it into triumph.
Speaker 10:You know, sometimes life gives you a lemonade and lemon. And you got to make a lemon.
Speaker 4:You did it, you did it and you got to make it right. So, speaking of that you've alluded to it a couple of times of like races not going exactly how you wanted them to, or even runs not being great. So for our friends who are preparing for their first marathons, what piece of advice would you give them to not get frustrated with those bad runs, or maybe a string of bad runs?
Speaker 10:You know, life is a progress and work in progress and injuries are part of sport and disappointment is part of life. So when you are getting ready for a marathon, don't bank on it that every run is going to be nice and pleasant. It's going to be ups and downs and trial and tribulation, but the key is to stay healthy, to stay prehab instead of rehab. Try to stay healthy, stretch. Back in the days in the 80s or even 90s, people used to say go that extra mile, go harder, go harder, go harder. That's not the case anymore. You got to be smart.
Speaker 10:I'd rather see people run one less mile and then use that time, whether it's that 11 minute, 12 minute mile. Use six minute, five minute to stretch and then the same thing afterward and do it consistently. And you know, as we struggle in the middle of the run, sometimes it's not going to be your day. Just cut your losses and and recover for next week, because you want to keep the momentum going and consistency is the name of the game. You know it's not like oh, I had that great race pace or that great long run, but it's cumulative of blocks. You know the hardest part around running is whether it's cold or or hot is lacing your shoes up. Get out the door. Once you do that, you're gonna get inspired by seeing other people run and it's like you know what. I'm glad I came out today and and then, if you're struggling, just find somebody who can be meeting you there, because it makes you accountable to be able to be there speaking of recovery, is there one like for sure recovery thing that you would always want people to do?
Speaker 10:ice bath. I do it for all of you guys, whether you're in the middle of the pack or the back of the pack. Ice bath. Don't do it, because I did for all of us I do cold showers every day, even some functions.
Speaker 10:people say, hey, you want to do the ice bath? I really retire, for I don't retire from running, but I retire from certain things like ice bath. I'm doing blood testing and all that stuff 7 am and that I don't miss any of that stuff. But what do you have? A good one is, I think that I believe stretching is important, and the one I live by is UCAN. Ucan is an amazing product. I don't endorse it anymore right now, but I still use it now to this day. It's a great product, something that you can have powder and then water and then the first thing that goes into your system and it's going to give you two hours of just non-crushing energy, and so you can go to the market or you can hang out with friends and then come home have a real meal.
Speaker 8:Going back to some training. If someone only has three or four days a week to train, what should they focus on for the most benefit?
Speaker 10:allocated for training. I really think spread them out and then just do maybe one far leg or one intervals and the other one recovery and then the other one. Uh, you know six, even sometimes six, seven mile long run is long run, it depends where you are at in the season. But I said, you know, spread out into seven days, don't try to do three days in a row or whatever it is so every two days, every two days, I think, is the best way to do it, like I in my 20th marathon or methamortals. I talk about the nine day cycle.
Speaker 10:If you can do that, I think it'd be good if say, hey, one day is going to be, you know, start easy and then intervals. You know start easy and then intervals. You know it could be fart leg, it could be 800 or one mile, one mile on one mile off, one mile on one mile off, up to four miles or five miles, and then also save one for long run. Depends what you're getting ready for. If I have to choose, eliminate one of them it would be probably the recovery is important. I would eliminate the intervals and just do long runs or semi-long runs twice a week.
Speaker 3:Let's talk about the long run for a moment, because I remember reading in 26 Marathons and also you brought up the name Jeff Galloway. We use Jeff Galloway's training methods and he always talks about you cannot do the long run too slowly, that the long run is for endurance, about you cannot do the long run too slowly, that the long run is for endurance. But the question we get asked, meb, is if I train so slowly in the long run, how am I going to be able to increase my pace come race day?
Speaker 10:My long run's always been slow long runs. I don't believe combining tempos with long runs. Only if you are playing catch up. Maybe you need to do that, but that's a little bit risky. Because you're on a catch up, maybe you need to do that, but that's a little bit risky. But because you play, yeah, and at deadline, so you need to do what you need to do to get.
Speaker 10:But if you can allocate of long runs gonna be long run. Mine is typically about a minute to a minute and 15 second per mile slower. But the other one we talked about, maybe if you have three days, is a tempo run. What is a tempo run is anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more to an hour and 15 maybe of race pace. I would do a good warm-up, a mile warm-up, a mile cool-down and then if you can go four miles, six miles race pace, eight mile race pace and if you can make it to 10 miles or 12 mile race pace, you will be able to do okay in a marathon or accomplish your goal.
Speaker 10:Because you're doing a combination of race pace or faster and then combine it with a slow run, you're going to cover the distance as efficient as possible. It depends on how many days you have available. But if you can add a little bit of fart legs or progressive run on some days, be ready to alternate. Don't have to be like Sunday every long run, don't say that, just change it sometimes to intervals or sometimes to tempo and things like that. But as long as you have enough time of cushion, it's good to be able to vary a little bit. And then long run should always be, personally for me, slower than run race pace. And then if you can make it to 18, you can make it 21, 22, you'll be ready because even if you do 22 mile or 20 miles, you will be, you already been on the time on your feet for the direction yeah, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3:I mean we talk about quite a bit again when our friends hear it coming from you. It just carries more weight and we appreciate it.
Speaker 4:So, looking back, is there a race that you feel most defined your career? Not necessarily the most famous one, but the one that meant the most personally to you?
Speaker 10:You know, as Bob mentioned earlier in the introduction, is to be the first person to ever win the silver medal, which was huge Right Listen for everyday runners. Just making the cross country team was a big day for me. And then when league was even bigger, and then it's like can I qualify for state? So there've been so many in my career that I'm blessed to have, or winning a state title, or winning NCAA titles, or winning my first USA national title. They were the biggest at the time but in hindsight now, winning the silver medal was big and that was kind of that in the scene in the world. And then new york it was even bigger than the silver medal. And then the most memorable, the most meaningful is for me, is the boston. And now it can confirm that my God-given talent was running.
Speaker 10:And on April 21st 2014, I know I was on this earth to inspire and influence people to the sport of running and, like all, the odds were against me less than 1% chance, even though I was silver medal.
Speaker 10:In New York people didn't think I was going to win, but I was 15th person in the starting field and I was two weeks out of my 39th birthday, but I had the victim's name on my bib Martin, sean, crystal and Lindsey to draw inspiration, it was bigger than ourselves. And Lindsay to draw inspiration, it was a bigger than than ourselves. And to carry that all the way through. And God had a favor in me to be able to, just, you know, come across the finish line. And when I heard, you know, 36,000 people wanted something positive to the running, run through from Hopkinton to Boston, to be able to just hey, to show resilience, to show unity, to show that the camaraderie of our runners and I just was happened to be the fortunate enough to lead them all the way through and become the first American to win in 31 years. And when they announced Boston Marathon champion, with Greg Myers right there, he, when I had to talk to him that morning, and and and just you know it was goosebumps.
Speaker 3:So am I right here, right now. So am I yeah.
Speaker 10:You know it was. You know USA, usa fist bumping, that's what the bombing was. It was just a three-hour lifetime. You know there was a movie, Miracle on the Ice, and that was Miracle on the Road.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes.
Speaker 10:That was the most solidifying of my career and, even though the others were huge, that one stands the most and that was your personal best. Right it is, and it's at the Boston Marathon course, and that's before super shoes and all that. My goal was to win top three or run a personal best, and sometimes we kill three birds with one stone and that is the most epic race. And, yes, 208, 37, my pr and will be my PR forever. So it's kind of interesting. It's not and it's not an easy course, but you know, you know, uh, I felt very blessed, a very dramatic day in in running history.
Speaker 3:I said I remembered you doing the push-ups, but but by golly I sure remember that Boston finish too.
Speaker 10:Yeah, I mean, I think you know I have great friends in Alabama and you know they prayed for me and as many people do, you know, I had the tomatoes with me that night, I believe that day, and they wore them. It's like, well, let's have healthy race for everybody. And uh, and you know, and they pray for me, to just say, hey, you know, this is uh, we'll pray for a healthy race for everybody. It would be nice if meb could get that third medal. And I remember the airsmith or something had a song about boston and he said david khan, also my friend. He sent me, uh, six and a half or so marathon runner from Alabama Sent me, if you win tomorrow, a text that says your name is going to be plastered everywhere. And boy was he right. And then for my 40th birthday he gave me the three big articles, the three magazines on the front Not the sports section, but the front of the papers, and it was just such a blessing, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean, it was an American story, it was it transcended racing.
Speaker 10:Thank you, thank you, yeah, and it was. I mean, it was it was, it was special for all of us.
Speaker 8:We've heard your stories, your migration from Eritrea to Italy, to San Diego. So what principles from your running career have helped you face challenges off the course?
Speaker 10:You know from my journey opportunities when they come, hold on to them and try to maximize it the best you can. I could be in Europe and I'm like I can't believe I came all the way for a 5K. But it's not about the 5K, it's the people that help you get to be healthy, from the physical therapists, from the coaches, from the training partners or from people pacing. You invested in you so you can't let them disappointment. So from athletics I learned that there's surround yourself with good people at the end of the day, and and and work hard and not give up. You know, sometimes running like you know it's, it's not like every marathon that I ran. At one point or another I said why am I doing this again? I want to.
Speaker 10:You want to give up because so many people have invested in you and in life. The same thing, you know, whether it's in college or whether it's a high school or tutoring and so many people want to help you be a better person and and you don't take it lightly you want to. You know you want to excel, but people want to help you be a better person, and you don't take it lightly. You want to excel, but you want to excel for everybody.
Speaker 10:I might run the marathons, but there's so many people like my wife, my brother and coaches who are able behind to make sure I have the opportunity to excel to the best that I can, but I do represent everybody who I share my journey with, and that's where the run to win comes. It doesn't necessarily mean getting first place, but getting the best out of yourself. So the sport teaches us that, even though sometimes things happen in life, it is disappointing and somehow you have to have the grit and the mindset to be able to say you know what that was. Yesterday, I got to start fresh and make better choices, just like a race sometimes. Before I won the Boston Marathon in 2013, I had a very disappointing 2013 New York City Marathon, but you've got to believe in yourself. You've got to believe in your training, you've got to believe in the team that you're surrounded with.
Speaker 4:So, Meb, what do you see for your future?
Speaker 10:Ooh, that's a I used to ask. People used to ask me that when I was in college and I used to always said I hope to be a good person. And then I also said whatever God has planned for me. I mean it's hard for me If you ask me, did I have dreams, ambitions to win Boston, ambitions to win metal or New York? I do, but I try to be in the moment and try to do the best that I can and I know already God has planned for me, whether it is into the coaching business.
Speaker 10:I've been doing this for a little bit, or never thought I had the idea of writing a book and people are still asking for another book now that they have read the three of them. But coaching, I think, is interest of mine and business is always, has been and. But I want to know I'm grateful for new balance, for giving me this opportunity to be a, be an ambassador, even though I don't came, not competing. But I hope to be part of the sport for many, many, many more years to come and I love the sport. It has done so many things for me and I'm grateful for the sponsors in the past and present to be able to, but especially new balance, because they didn't have to do this and I feel I think meeting and greeting people has always been my passion and to be able to do that, you know, like role model.
Speaker 10:Bill Rogers and others that have done that are really you know, frank Schroeder and others who who've been in there. I said you know what they should have a shoe sponsor and they should be able to do those things. And I felt very fortunate and my hats off to my brother also, howie Management who worked with New Balance and New York to be able to make this happen for me. I'm grateful for the opportunities that have provided still been provided, for me. I don't take them lightly or for granted, but I am always humbled. And to be 50 years old and to be an ambassador for the sport that has done so much for me and my family and continue to do for others, I want to be part of that journey, to be able to be the best, the best ambassador I can be.
Speaker 3:And the running community is fortunate to have you. One thing I think is part of your future I'd like to talk about a little bit before we let you go, and that's the MEB Foundation. Can you tell us about the mission of the MEB Foundation and the kind of work you do with that?
Speaker 10:Yeah, the MEB Foundation is Maintain X Unbalanced through Health, education and Fitness for Kids. You know, just like when I was in ninth grade, I did not. I could not afford shoes. So this is a time for to empower youth and families to maintain excellent balance, because sometimes the kids want to run and the parents' job is to bring the good nutrition to take them out and be part of that. But I think I really believe that exercise and fitness kind of helps you be a better student and I want to encourage people to provide that, whether it's during PE class or after school or before school, to be able to help them be the best themselves.
Speaker 10:Yes, sometimes it's challenging, it's difficult to get up early, but I think the mindset of commitment, perseverance, hard work and time management are crucial. As we know, we're in the front of the pack, we're in the middle of the pack, we're at the back of the pack. Later on in our life we see how much benefit we get out of the sport of running and this is a perfect way to introduce that to young kids and even at the high school level. Sometimes you know you're late for baseball, sport of baseball, basketball, football. They're like go give me a lap. You know it's a punishment, punishment, and we want to change that perception.
Speaker 10:Every sport running is a fundamental of all sports, you know, and that's what. But we don't realize that until later on, whether you are later after high school or college or later on, and I think that's very important for me to introduce that at a young age, and whether it's middle school or high school. With the met foundation, which you know, gives back, give back a lot, a lot to existing clubs that have to do with youth, but all in Tampa and San Diego. We have done some work in New York, boston, atlanta and, you know, especially empowering young girls or young men. That's what it did for me, you know, when I was in seventh grade. If it wasn't for sport, I wouldn't be here talking to you. For that, I think that's a life changing experience.
Speaker 3:How can our friends who are listening get involved or maybe support the foundation?
Speaker 10:Yeah, you can support the Meb Foundation through the mebfoundationorg. You can donate there. But our main way of fundraising has been through the New York City Marathon, boston Marathon and now Chicago Marathon, and sometimes they've been very generous people who just contribute to the website. But also some generous people have given, you know, hosting functions at their houses and be able to do fundraising. So that's how we've done a great job, I think, and it's thriving. We're doing really well and you know we gave out 60,000 last year and continue to do that this year to different clubs to help them. You know there's already existing youth programs. We just try to help them as much as we can, not all at one, but to different part of the cities. Well, you're welcome over here Anytime.
Speaker 3:Well, you're welcome over here anytime. I'm just across the bridge and my wife makes great cookies. All right, that's good. Listen, this has been delightful. Before you go, we love to hit you up with a couple of quick, quick answer. Closing questions. Okay, Guys, you ready? Mm-hmm.
Speaker 10:Favorite post-race meal, first post-meal after a generation. You can For me it's omelet. I like to have omelet or eggs. That's my first recovery.
Speaker 4:What is your go-to pump-up song for a race?
Speaker 10:There's two of my pump-up songs. They're Empire State of Mind of New York. New York is great and I love Eminem's One Shot, one Opportunity. So when you're at the starting line, you got to get it done because a marathon, you got to wait six months. Otherwise. Yeah right.
Speaker 10:Most scenic place you've ever run and that I've been around the world and, honestly, mammoth Lake is probably one of the scenic in terms of, but I love being by the water. When I'm by the water, I love San Diego and to be able to be in the water and be in the bridges and things like that. Those are things, but there's plenty other places. That's the beauty of being a distance runner you can go where there's no cars, not even sometimes bikes, and going about your two own feet can go and see an amazing things what is one piece of gear you can't run without does shoe counting count?
Speaker 10:You're going to shoes, there you go. Yeah, one other thing is you guys probably know is I always, always, carry this thing here, chapstick. I got to have it before my run, before I go to races. I get dry lips, so that's the one thing that I got to have it before I leave. In fact, I leave it on my racing flats and you're a calf sleeves guy too, aren't you? I it before I leave.
Speaker 3:In fact, I leave it on my racing flats, and you're a calf sleeves guy too, aren't you?
Speaker 10:I do, I do. I do have compression socks. A CEP. For a long, long time, and probably 21 years before CEP, I used to wear compression socks. It helps, it just minimizes, because you can stumble on a lot of cracks on the pavement road and you know we get fatigued, we get tired. So elite athlete for many reasons. One reason is because they sponsor head to toe. They can't have other shoes, socks, things, so. But I've been fortunate enough to be able to do that over the years and last your dream running partner, Pastor Preston.
Speaker 10:That's a tough one. There's been great ones. I mean you can go to Jim Ryan and you can go to a lot of Rambler Rogers, but growing up my hero was Haile Gebrselassie. It really was. You know the variety he has from the versatility he had, from the 1500 meter indoor world champion all the way to the marathon. I wanted to be like him. I and I got to meet him. We have one race together, a couple of races on the track, even including the 2000 Olympic epic finish with him. But I never really ran recreational run with him and it would be fun. I think he's done a great thing for the sport and internationally that's what I would do and nationally I think Bill Rogers would be the one. And I've done numerous of Bill Rogers' runs together, which has been fun.
Speaker 3:Well, Meb Kovleski, running champion. I have been looking forward to this for a long time, sir, Thank you so, so much for giving your valuable time sharing with it here on the podcast. I know our friends who listen got a lot out of this. Thanks again and I'll see you. I'll probably see you at Gasparilla.
Speaker 10:That'd be great. Gasparilla Distance Classic will be great and Bob and Alicia and John great to be with you guys on your Rise and Run podcast. All those people that listen to this hope to see you meet you some ways. If I have, keep on running strong. You know run to win doesn't mean get first place, but getting the best out of yourself, and I know you guys do that every time. Every mile counts and sometimes we go to tough challenges in life. But at the end of the day, running is a therapy. You go out there, a camaraderie that brings friendship. That brings runners are always kind and gentle and inclusive for many parts. So hats off to you guys. Keep on running and keep on being the best you can be. Caution runners Change of topic ahead.
Speaker 3:That was every bit as much fun as it sounded. Meb was an amazingly gracious guest. It couldn't have been nicer. We all chatted beforehand. We showed up early because we didn't want him waiting on us and we all chatted. You know, a little nervous, but he put us at ease right away and it was. It was fantastic. So I really hope you got something out of that. I know that I did just talking with him and golly, we're just, you know, we're just regular runners, but we're all runners and that was. That was fantastic.
Speaker 3:Hey, disneyland roll call will be next week. So Disneyland roll call will be next week. Our buddy Rob sent me the numbers. They're still off a little bit, although actually for the Disneyland Halloween race weekend our race report numbers are up, but for all the other races they're off a little bit. So you've still got a chance. If you want to be in the Disneyland roll call, put your name into the race report. If you don't know how to do it, we can do it for you. You just got to put your name in the comments. That race report is in the featured section on the Facebook group, which I know is a lot easier to find if you're on a laptop than on your phone, but you can find it on your phone too, so let us know. We'll do the roll call next week.
Speaker 3:Hey, when you get to the expo I mentioned this every year, I haven't brought it up yet Don't forget to drop by and visit our buddy, jeff. He'll be at a booth, jeff will be there, chris will be there, but it is well, well, well worth your time to visit with Mr Galloway. He'll make you feel like part of his family when you see him there. So if you're looking for a nice breaker, tell him. You heard him on the Rise and Run podcast. Jeff's just one of our more frequent guests and a big fan of the podcast and what all of you do for the running community, the spirit that you have. That's right in line with Jeff's philosophy.
Speaker 3:I want to remind you there is a meetup at Disneyland two o'clock on Saturday in the picnic area. I've talked about it before. That's right in front of the entrance to Disneyland, which what we call Magic Kingdom here in Florida, but the original Disneyland is just to the left of the entrance. There You'll find it Should have a pretty good turnout. Alan was texting me earlier. I think he said 30 or 40 people had said they were coming, so that's good. They're a lot of fun friends. They are a lot of fun and if you've got time, that's a good place to meet up. There's some question Are we having a meetup at Wine and Dine? Yes, of course we will. It'll be at three o'clock on Saturday, but I'm going to wait to put that on the Facebook page so that I don't confuse people with the two different meetups one at two o'clock, one at three o'clock. So the Disneyland meetup is on the Facebook group page already and the Wine and Dine meetup will go up there in a couple of weeks. Caution Runners.
Speaker 3:The topic is about to change right now. Hey friends, I've talked about it a little bit in previous episodes. We've got a new affiliate. Mona Ockenden is with us, head of Mona Moon Naturals. She's got some products that we think will fit our friends in this listening audience very well, so we've invited her to join us and tell us about them. Mona, welcome to the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 11:Thanks, Bob. I'm excited to be here with all of you today.
Speaker 3:Well, thanks for sharing your time. So this site of yours, this company of yours, mona Moon Naturals, has kind of a compelling story on how it got started. How about, I think, let's start off by sharing that story, please.
Speaker 11:Oh sure. A number of years ago, my sister, unfortunately, was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was during her diagnosis we learned about the many chemicals that are found in our skincare products, food, clothing. The list goes on and on. I know many know about that, and it was during that transition. I personally couldn't find natural deodorant to work for myself and a friend introduced me to a formula like a homemade, you know, do it yourself formula, and I started making it for myself, modifying it for my own skin type and for I made it for friends and family for a number of years and it was catching on with gaining a little bit of popularity amongst friends and introducing other friends, and I was highly encouraged to start a business, which we did in 2019.
Speaker 11:So we rolled out online, been around a little while yeah, we've been around a little bit. Then, obviously, covid hit, which was, you know, always good and bad for everybody, but we have a really nice line of products. Everything is made with natural ingredients that are recognizable, you know what they are, you can read them, and we work with some local cancer groups. I was obviously involved with the Breast Cancer Coalition here locally and the Pelluta Foundation, which is one of the cancer centers here locally and learned more about what products people are asking for and needing. So that's kind of how we've added products to our line and a portion of our profits are always donated to cancer charities.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's, significant yeah. Yeah. Just a little bit, the nuts and bolts, the idea of, hey, I think this is a good idea, I'm going to make a little in my kitchen or something, I guess. And then we moved to a factory.
Speaker 11:That's the goal. One day we, um my husband actually built, we have a uh like a, a separate kitchen here in our home that's fully just uh, dedicated to Mona Mune. So that's, we do everything here, locally here.
Speaker 3:I love it. Entrepreneur, good for you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, all right. Mona, you talked a little bit about your natural deodorants. Why don't you tell our friends kind of what goes along with that and why they might be interested in those products? Sure, so just overall.
Speaker 11:People have to understand and learn that a lot of what you put on your skin actually gets absorbed into your body. So what you put underneath your arms, in your armpit area, the bottom of your feet, under your eyes and your lips, 100% of that gets absorbed into your system. So it's really important that you're looking for clean, natural products that don't have chemicals in there. So and people also have to understand we need to sweat. It's you know, it's a bodily function. You need to sweat. So just finding a good product that your body likes and that helps you manage through the day.
Speaker 11:So our original first deodorant is a deodorant paste that you actually apply with your fingers. It's a solid in a jar or a tin. You scrape off a little bit and then rub it with your fingers. Because of the breast cancer, we say it's paste with purpose, so we encourage you to check for lumps and bumps. I love that. And from there we also have a deodorant stick. So it's a solid, you know, in a solid tube. It's compostable, which is great. So you can, when you're done with it, you can, you know, either recycle it in your curb box or you can compost it, and then we have a deodorant spray, so it's kind of like on the go. A lot of people like that for using the gym. It's a full body spray, so it's we have something that caters to everybody.
Speaker 3:What are some of the other products? Mona?
Speaker 11:So we have body butters, which is always a great treat for your body. We also have lip balms. We have six different kinds of lip balms. We have body powders, which is another important product that people like to have. We have dry shampoo. We have paw balm for those who have dogs for their paw puppies, their paws. We have hand balms. And then we have essential oil rollers uh, for a number of products or a number of um ailments, for you know, we have ones that help you sleep.
Speaker 11:We have some for headaches, we have some for upset stomach Um, we have if you're getting very anxious, it helps you calm down. Um one if you need to rev up during your day, we also have a great chill out spray. So when you're hot, you just give yourself a couple of sprays. Whether you're at the beach or you finished a run or you're walking around Disney World, it just helps you cool down. And then we also have a spray that you use at nighttime to spray in your bed or your room to help you relax and get ready for the night.
Speaker 4:Speaking of those essential oils, for our friends that may not be familiar with what essentials are, can you tell a little bit about that and maybe share a couple of your favorites and what the benefits of them are? Sure, sure.
Speaker 11:So essential oils are oils that they come from the natural plant. So there's a distilling process that actually you know it goes through a process and you actually with the plant, whether it's a flower or a leaf, depending on the product. So if a lavender, there's a lavender, you know the purple part of the lavender, um, and a process, and then you you actually have an oil. Um, lavender is um, it's great to help you relax and sleep. Um, it's a very calming. It is. You'll find um lavender. We have a lavender version of every one of our products. That's in there, the oil, all of our products. If there is a scent or a flavor, we only use essential oils. So for our lip balms we have vanilla very, very popular flavor. We have tangerine. We have vanilla mints, so spearmints, peppermints, and we have vanilla mints, so spearmints, peppermints all those kinds of oils are in there. Also, in our deodorant we have a tea tree blend, which is tea tree, lime and grapefruit, so it's a nice blend.
Speaker 8:I know a lot of these essential oils. Some of this stuff sounds like it might be more for the women, but what do you have for men out there, like the deodorant or the lip balms? Are those good for us?
Speaker 11:Yep, we have everything for everybody, so we have a lot of male customers. In addition, we have unscented versions of everything. So if you wanted an unscented deodorant versus the lavender, you have that option. Tea Tree is unisex for anybody. The lip balms are for anybody, the body butters same. I have a lot of male customers buying our hand balms. They're really good. They buy unscented or they buy our gardener scent, which is patchouli and orange and rosemary. So there's something for everybody.
Speaker 3:Mona, how do our friends find you? And you've got a deal for the Rise and Run family too, right?
Speaker 11:We do, yes. So you visit our website and it's monamoonaturalscom and everybody in the Rise and Run family. When you are at checkout, use code RRUNFAM, so R-R-U-N-F-A-M, and you'll receive 10% off your purchase.
Speaker 3:Sounds great. Well, hey, we look forward to working with you. We look forward to trying the products and getting some feedback, and thanks for taking the time to visit with us.
Speaker 11:Sounds great. Thanks for the opportunity. Caution runners. Change of topic ahead.
Speaker 3:So Mona moon, natural our our newest affiliate, not to forget or overlook our older affiliate, pamela. Pamela has is working on. She has brand new towels. She sent me a bunch. I took them with me to Disney World this week. They all smell great. But I promised Pamela I'd put together a video. Then I'm going to send her a bunch of raw video film and see if she can make something out of it. But Pamela's got those. Those are at her Zen Grove site.
Speaker 3:We need to get Pam back on here in a little bit, but she's still out there. And Fluffy Fizzy's is still out there. Guys, the Fluffy Fizzy site is still out there. Still has the Happy Running discount, I believe. Hey, still a chance to order your Alien shirt. I think we had a couple ordered this week. Alien shirt for marathon weekend for the 5K. That's going to be fun.
Speaker 3:Judy shipped out a bunch of Rise and Run shirts this week, so you should be getting them shortly. In fact, I suspect most people have already received theirs. Hey, thanks to our league commissioners in fantasy football. They've really taken the ball, no pun intended, and moved it forward and got the league set up. I think there may still be one or two people they haven't heard from. So if you said you wanted to play, you need to sign into the league. If you don't do it by Friday that's tomorrow day after release we're going to have to replace you because it's time to start drafting for this year's Fantasy Football League, our episode next week.
Speaker 3:I put this in our Facebook group. Our friend, andre Vargas, made a documentary about running his first marathon at Walt Disney World and I got to tell you I'm really impressed with it. I really like it. I think it's worth your time. It's very professionally done. The link that's on the Facebook page is to the full doc. It's, I think, page is to the full doc. It's, I think, an hour and 15 minutes. But if you go into YouTube I think I'm pretty sure I'm not positive I think you can find it in four separate sections. So you may want to watch it that way, but it's worth watching. And then, if you'd like, andre's going to be with us next week. You can. After you've watched it, you can put some questions for him in the comment section. But I think there's a lot of good stuff there for first timers and a lot of stuff that I enjoyed, having done Gosh. If I get to do it this January. This will be my seventh Disney marathon, and now Please stand clear of the door.
Speaker 3:It's time for a race report.
Speaker 5:Por favor, manténganse alejado de las puertas.
Speaker 3:Hey friends, race reports sponsored by Thomas Stokes of Stokes Metabolic Training, Stokesfit slash rise and run coaching is the site to go to. His group and individual training plans are still available. As his eight-week and I think I said eight-month last week his eight-week summer challenge is winding up as we get into the race report. All right, got an honorable mention. Our buddy, kevin, is asking if he can get a PR bell for shaving 47 minutes off of his 10K PR. But he did it on a cruise ship. The ship was moving forward.
Speaker 6:I mean, kevin, you ask for a lot. First you ask for a 200-hour episode. Now you want a PR bell for this. But I'll be more than willing to give you a PR bell over a 200-hour episode, that's for sure.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 8:You got to give him a foghorn like the boat horn there we go.
Speaker 3:I used to have. I don't have any more. I used to have the Disney Cruise Line steamboat chimes when you Wish Upon a Star. That used to be my message tone. I don't do that anymore, but that's cool. All right, let's get into the report and start.
Speaker 3:On Saturday Got a couple of races here. First in New York, greta's Great Gallop 10K. Grace ran that one and Amy out in Western New York, niagara Falls, did the Runway 5K. First race report for Divya I hope I'm pronouncing that right my friend D-I-V-Y-A, divya. She did the Pennsylvania Dairyman's Association YCA Milkshake Mile in Harrisburg First race report. She managed to convince some co-workers to join in this thing since it was only a mile. She had 14 by 800s on her training schedule. Did about half of them before the race. Stuck around. Stuck around so she could run the race in her age group. Finished in the middle of the pack. That's pretty cool for a first race ever Wait. First race report and first race, that's a PR. Afterwards appropriately got a free milkshake Then finished the rest of her 800. Such dedication, good job and thanks for the report.
Speaker 3:Mary was in Sanford, north Carolina, for the Carolina Animal Rescue Association 15K. This is a challenge event. You run the 5K. They give you 45 minutes to do it, to be back back at the start so that you can start the 10k with the 10k runners. Now mary had never run a sub 45 5k before, but she took it on anyway and got close enough that when she finished she was able to start. Then she finished the 10K a little tough, cried a little bit, almost gave up halfway, but she called her running mentor who helped her through the rest of the race. Not the best, but she did hit a new race distance and that, of course, my friends, is a PR, is a PR.
Speaker 3:Carol was in Augusta, kentucky, for the Baker Bird Winery Run. 5k Begins by the Ohio River, runs past the Beehive Tavern and the Rosemary Clooney House and Museum. Hilly course ended at the Baker Bird Winery, again, appropriately enough, with a wine tasting If you're out there, great side trip. If you're in the Cincinnati area, excellent run. So let's go ahead and go to Stratford, connecticut, for the Shore to the Poor 5k. Stephanie did it. 5k Stephanie did it. First half of the course felt great. Second half, entirely on sand. That's tough Challenge to keep a pace, but you push through, earned that finish line, celebrated with two free drinks at 10 o'clock in the morning. Medals pretty cool. Doubles as a bottle opener. A great nod to the brewery that hosted the race. We've seen some bottle opener, uh, race medals. That's uh, that's classic of broad street.
Speaker 6:I think broad street yeah, apparently this past year they did not have a bottle. Yeah, so hopefully that, uh, that that trend comes back yeah, that was a trend.
Speaker 3:There are, but that was the one that came to mind. Over the weekend our friend Lori did two races. She started on Saturday in Canton Ohio with a 6K. She wanted to push it but took it easy. She's, of course. We've talked with Lori before about Lori before. She's a knee replacement patient. She is still one. She's a knee replacement patient. She is still one. She's still short of her one year x-ray. Best part of this one was after she finished she went back on course to help her friend Valerie finish and Valerie doing a 5K six weeks post knee replacement. You see, friends, let me, let me finish with this.
Speaker 3:This was an NFL weekend. She had to kick off 6K. Then on Sunday, the Football Hall of Fame half. There was a series of races here, the half being the last one, and when you add them all up they equaled a marathon. Lori's running 27-30 intervals, which is something she invented and found it worked best for her. Intervals, which is something she invented and found it worked best for her. Uh, about mile seven. All of a sudden she picked up a few runners in a group that started running intervals with her and she became a pacer. That has that happened. That's happened to me on a race. That's ever happened to you guys on a race?
Speaker 8:yes, yes, it has. We've all, we've all been there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's see she finished with a lori, finished with a runner from arkansas who was the last one to keep up with. Yes, it has, We've all been there. Yeah, let's see Lori finished with a runner from Arkansas who was the last one to keep up with her. I'm sure if Jack was here she would tell you. That's normal for pacers. At the finish line they had popsicles and pizza. Lori's legs were kind of toast at the end, but this was the fastest she's done a half since knee replacement. And golly. I think we are lucky to be living in a time it wasn't that long ago, and I'm talking maybe five, maybe eight years ago where if you had a total knee replacement, you were not running anymore because the fit was not precise enough and you would wear it out and have to have it replaced. Now, with robotic surgery, the fit is perfect and you are able. There is running after knee replacement. So I'm grateful for that, as are Valerie and Lori. But speaking of Valerie, we've got another Valerie who ran the half in this race and this Valerie did PR her half marathon. And this Valerie did PR her half marathon. Let's move to Sunday and start in Youngstown, Ohio, for the Panarathon 10K Megan Ranit.
Speaker 3:Megan joins us this week in the Race Report Spotlight Hiya. Megan, Hello, Thanks for joining us. I'm glad you're here. We're happy to see you. You had a good story, Megan. Hello, Thanks for joining us. I'm glad you're here. We're happy to see you. You had a good story, Megan. I think I was really. I found your story compelling and attractive to a lot of our friends who think oh gosh, I'm at the back of the pack, I'm too slow and I love the. I don't want to steal your thunder, but I love the story of the progress you made and how things. I think it's just a great story that we want to share this week. But let's start at the beginning, as we typically do. And when did you start running and what got you involved in doing it?
Speaker 7:Okay. So I had to think about that. Last night when we decided to do this, I was like, okay, what story do I go with? I was one of those.
Speaker 7:I loved running at recess when I was in elementary school. By middle school I hated running because they made us do it in gym class and I was overweight and not good at it. And then even in high school, I was actually the stat for our local track team. So like I went to all the track meets, I knew all the things about running. I just didn't run.
Speaker 7:I ran a little bit in college, just for fitness At least I think I was running I could. And then I got an elliptical in 2006. And as I was doing that, I was like, huh, this feels a lot like running. I wonder if I could actually do this outside. And so for a couple of years I went out and ran a couple races and I was not fast, which of course right now I'd love to be back at that, but it was, you know, but it was okay.
Speaker 7:And then, a couple of races later, I was dead last in a local race and I think that sort of killed the motivation right there and just so put it away for a while and then in 2018, I saw like I had one of those pictures that you just look at and you're like, yeah, we need to do something. So I started running just on the treadmill at home and my actual first like kind of race back, I did the Chewbacca half virtual half marathon. That was supposed to be part of the Kessel Run challenge thing, but I didn't know anything about the Kessel Run part. I just saw it was virtual and Chewbacca and so I tried. It Took me four sessions and it was like over four and a half hours to do that half marathon. But then I signed up for Star Wars 2021. And, of course, that one was canceled. We know what happened.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and so then when the springtime themes came out that said those sounded cool, so that was. I signed up for those and pretty much became addicted to run disney and being in the more inclusive like being out there and knowing there were lots of people, my speed and that I wasn't dead last. I wasn't the very, very back of the pack, although I do have a race where the balloons hit me in the face on the way to the finish line.
Speaker 3:So I have one of those. There's nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 7:That means you finished, true? Yeah, that was that one. That one was like the that balloon part was about right. Uh, it was still in epcot, like usually about right, where the last character stop is. It was kind of right through there going over that speed bump. The balloons like passed me and I was like freaking out trying to catch up.
Speaker 3:But yeah, so I've been back there but but you did, you did do it and you have continued to do it, and that's that's really why I wanted to grab you and put you on this episode, because I find this very motivating. You nailed it. This is what Run Disney is about. It's about everybody. It's about those four and a half Well, I don't know if we have any four and a half milers at Disney, four and a half minute milers, but the five minute milers and the 15 minute milers, and even the 17 and 18 minute milers, if they can stay ahead of the balloon, ladies, I think it's. I think it's, I think it's terrific.
Speaker 4:So, megan, why don't you tell us about the race that you did this past weekend?
Speaker 7:Panerathon. It's been going on for about 16 years and I looked this up because I assumed I always assumed Panerathon was local. But it's not. But our local guy, sam Covelli, has the largest Panera franchise in the country and he is local to us. We have, like, our arena local arena is called the Covelli Center and so it's been said that our area is one of the worst areas in the nation as far as breast cancer mortality rates and so all the money from Panerathon goes to the Joni Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center that they started to try and raise awareness and help people get testing done to try and mitigate that. This year they raised $700,000. So, like their total in 16 years is almost 6 million and so and this year was the biggest year ever they had over 6,000 people sign up. And this year was the biggest year ever, they had over 6,000 people sign up.
Speaker 7:The 10K had about 841 finishers. There's a two-mile race also Well, a two-mile walk that most people do. So this was my first year doing the 10K. The last two years I've done the two-mile. So how did it go for you? So it went good and I think my family breast cancer runs through my family. My mom is a 42 year survivor and so a lot of my family was there.
Speaker 7:Um, but for me, like I went in with the the mindset of I could very well be dead last, and that's okay, this is a training run for Halloween, I can do this and it was a 10 o'clock start, so it was already 72 degrees and but I just started running and I don't know my legs felt heavy, like I really thought I was going slow and like I looked down at my watch and it was green, which I have an app that I have the pace set for 16 minute miles and so I don't ever see green, like never. And I glanced down and I was in the green and I was like, oh well, that'll change, you know a little bit, and but I just kept going and every mile I hit I was in the 16s and I just was like kind of astonished by that. That, because I mean that's I'm usually up until this summer I've been the 18 minute miler kind of person 17 if it's a good day, but you're getting better.
Speaker 7:Yes, at least I'm hoping that that holds through. True, I think the training's paying off?
Speaker 3:I hope so.
Speaker 7:Still a little nervous for two weeks from now.
Speaker 4:And tell us about what happened during that race, because it wasn't just getting those 60 minute miles, what what else happened?
Speaker 7:That was great, okay, well so I thought so this was an out and back and it was three miles that I had run in a race, at a half marathon earlier in the summer. So I also wanted a little bit of redemption because those three miles didn't go so well the first time. So in my head, you know, I refuse to look back because that's never a good thing. And I know, like on that half marathon this summer I know I was at the very back for a while and we made so we made the turnaround. As I'm looking and like I'm just watching, like people, and then there's more people and there's more people. I mean I think in the end there were at least 90 people behind me. Oh, that's cool. So I was like, okay, I am definitely not last and I'm not tired and I'm going, and so I ended up. When I finished, I ended up with an over a nine minute and 10 second PR.
Speaker 8:That's awesome. That's great. Where are you going next? When are we going to see you at any Disney races or anything?
Speaker 7:else Pretty much every Disney race. I am attempting my own perfect season this year, kind of a redemption run, doing at least one race in every weekend on both coasts so good deal. I will be pretty much everywhere.
Speaker 8:And your next race will be Halloween. Yeah, the.
Speaker 7:Halloween half.
Speaker 8:You're doing the half, all right, yes, yeah, and I'm re-attempting Dopey again.
Speaker 7:So that's the next big one after the half.
Speaker 3:Megan. That's a big deal. Megan, we're proud of you, thank you. You are run Disney. I think what you're doing is just great and I think it's very motivational. I hope a bunch of our friends who are listening and thinking the same oh, I'm too. So we'll get a little motivation out of it and go. That's not just me, there are others out there just like me and I can do it. If she can do it, I can do it. I think that's fantastic. So thanks for joining us and sharing this story and we'll see you soon. All right, thank you.
Speaker 3:Okay, back in Philadelphia for the Philly 10K. A couple people there. Sarah started out a little too fast in the first two miles but eventually evened out, paced very nicely, really got a kick out of running through the city. Being in Philadelphia was captivating. For her Running down 9th Street was particularly special, so nice that one of her friends was able to film her crossing the finish line. Her first official 10K is in the books. That's a PR, let me see. Yvette was there, as was Sean. Sean also PR'd today, pr'd the Philly 10K, clocking in at 43.57. Smoking, great weather for a perfect run.
Speaker 6:Way to go. This is outside of disney. This is my favorite 10k that I've ever run, because it's one of the very few runs in in philly that, like it, doesn't go on the scugle river trail or starts and ends at the ph Museum of Art and all that jazz. You get to run through South Philly and the best part about it is that just past the 5K mark, bob, you run by Pat's and Gino's.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've seen the pictures.
Speaker 6:And I got to tell you they're open then and it's really tempting not to stop to get a cheesesteak.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's like Peachtree goes by Krispy Kreme and Krispy Kreme is-.
Speaker 6:Oh, that's right, yeah.
Speaker 8:I always heard that Pat's and Gino's aren't the oh no, they're not.
Speaker 6:They are the top tourist cheesesteaks. Right. But if you had a gun to your head and you had to pick one of those two? I am a Pats fan through and through.
Speaker 3:I never got to either.
Speaker 6:You're not missing much.
Speaker 3:No, that's what I understand, but that's the Philly legend. They're corner to corner across the street from one another yes yep. And there's always a line. I was in LA years ago at Pink's Hot Dogs and there was about a 45-minute line at Pink's Hot Dogs. And there was about a 45-minute line at Pink's Hot Dogs and people in the line were talking about standing in line at Pat's or Gino's.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, we would always go there after our fraternity initiations and then I would have some fraternity brothers and they would get a cheesesteak at Pat's and then would walk right across the street and go to Gino's and I'm like that's a lot of meat and cheese in one evening.
Speaker 3:Hardcore. All right, let's continue up. In Wellston Michigan, the North Country Trail, 50k. An Ultra Glada Again hope I'm pronouncing that right. Glada did it Her first trail race, so why not make it a 50K? Good aid stations, 10 of them on the course, very well marked that always helps. Cooler temperatures that helps too. She had a little bit of trouble with dizziness towards the end of the race, but she was able to gut it out and finish. Nice post-race buffet, great swag, including what really may be the world's largest race medal. I've seen some big ones, but this you could serve pizza on this thing. This was huge, a great place for a first-time trail run. And, of course, if we haven't already done it, here's a PR bell for your first 50K In North Bend, washington, the Iron Horse Half Marathon.
Speaker 3:She set out on this half. She had several goals, made the mistake that a lot of us do, going out too fast. This was supposed to be a full downhill race, but it went flat around mile eight or nine. I've never run one of those advertised downhill races. I do understand, though, if you're doing it. When you get to flat you feel like you're climbing, so it gets a little tough. Not a bad time for her. She limped her body across the finish line in 208 for a proof of time, which is excellent. That'll last her a couple more years. Beautiful course, cupless race meant no trash on the course, great support, good signage and a fun time.
Speaker 3:In Orlando, jared did the Lake Nonona Triathlon Sprint Distance Tri Down. In Buenos Aires, argentina, where they're just coming out of wintertime, our buddy JJ did the 21K. Buenos Aires run, grand Rapids, michigan. David did the Millennium Meadows Marathon. Millennium Meadows Marathon. After training in Florida, 60 degrees with almost no humidity, felt just great. Normally doesn't like loops, but there were three loops in this gorgeous setting. He finished first in his age group, got a mug as a prize and set a PR. Summer training fall PR. It's still a little early but some of them are starting to come around.
Speaker 3:We wrap it up in Seattle, washington, where Vanessa, who was with us last week on the race report, race report spotlight, did the Northwest Trails Runs, Paradise Valley Half Marathon. She ran with her friend Renee. They had a great time on the beautiful trail Lots of tree roots, so she tripped a couple times. A run walk is challenging because the trails get narrow and sometimes they're only one wide and that makes it tough if people behind you want to keep running. Nevertheless, she carried on Good support, lots of electrolytes and snacks at the aid stations. It was hot in Seattle, Heat advisory, extreme heat advisory in Seattle. Nevertheless, she finished and Vanessa recommends this one and my friends. That is it for the race report, for episode 205.
Speaker 3:My friends and if you run, you know you are our friends this is a Zoom Thursday, so if you're listening today, take a look on the Facebook page. Instructions for logging into the Zoom are there. If you've got a chance, come visit with us. It's the last one before we get back into the run Disney season out in California. We'd love to see you. We'd love to see people there for the first time. We hope you enjoy it. We hope you come back. So we'll be there for that and most of the country is going to start to cool a little bit as we get into September. That'll feel better. So your training miles go up, but the conditions get a little easier. Still a lot of work to do till we get to that big run in January. All right, my friends, have fun.
Speaker 6:And until we meet again, happy running. The Rise and Run podcast discusses general information about Run Disney and is in no way affiliated with Run Disney or the Walt Disney Company. Any information or advice discussed on this podcast should not be considered medical advice and should always consult with your health care provider or event organizer.
Speaker 1:Rise and run. Let the anthem be spun for every heart that runs for fun, for every heart that runs for fun. Rise and run, from start to the run. Together we shine like the morning sun. Rise and run, we rise and run, we rise and run.
