Set the Pace

Just two days before the 129th Boston Marathon, we recorded a special live episode of Set the Pace at the Citizens House of Blues in Boston. With co-host Sam Ryan—four-time Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster and Boston Marathon runner—we dive into the racing mindset, the power of community, and what it means to cover the sport from both sides of the finish line. Then, legendary BYU...

April is Global Volunteer Month and this week Rob and Becs interview three NYRR Volunteer Hall of Fame Inductees about their years of experience helping out at the New York City Marathon and Open Run. David Csillan has spent more than 35 years safeguarding the health of runners as a medical volunteer, becoming an essential part of the marathon's medical team. Larry Sillen has volunteered since 1979, handing out bibs and even haulin...

This week we celebrated the 100th episode of NYRR Set the Pace live at the Public Theater in NYC. Rob and Becs kicked off the show by bringing back the podcast’s very first guest, Meb Keflezighi, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist in Athens who in 2009, became the first American since 1982 to win the New York City Marathon, and in 2014 became the first American man to win the Boston Marathon since 1983. He also started the Meb Fo...

If you are training for spring marathons, this one is just for you!

Settle into your long run with this week’s special long edition of Set the Pace featuring a few incredible guests. Cory Wharton-Malcolm, Apple Fitness+ trainer, running coach, and author of the book, All You Need Is Rhythm & Grit brings joy and inclusivity to a sport that can often feel very intimidating and continues to be a positive force in the UK runn...

Joining Rob and Becs this week is celebrity stylist and marathon runner Kwasi Kessie whose influence spans both the fashion and sports worlds. Kwasi outlines his journeys in both fashion and running and shares his experience styling athletes like 100-meter Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles. He also reflects on his own experience on the roads, starting from when he was a kid running with NYRR and going on to complete 11 consecutive N...

This week, Becs interviews Jersey Shore’s Vinny Guadagnino about his transition from reality TV star to long-distance runner. Vinny completed the United Airlines NYC Half this past Sunday and ran his first marathon last November at the TCS New York City Marathon, fundraising for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Vinny talks about the joy of training in NYC and how running helps support his mental health. Tune in to ...

In this special race-day edition of Set the Pace, Olympian Carrie Tollefson gets the very first interviews with 2025 United Airlines NYC Half champions Sharon Lokedi, Abel Kipchumba, Manuela Schär and Geert Schipper, who led more than 28,600 athletes through Brooklyn and Manhattan to the finish line in Central Park.

Geert Schipper at: (01:45)
Manuela Schär at: (15:22)
Sharon Lokedi at: (22:34)
Abel Kipchum...

It's Race Week! In preparation for the United Airlines NYC Half, Set The Pace presents a special episode recorded live at the NYRR Run Center Featuring the New Balance Run Hub.

Hosts Rob and Becs are joined by special guest Alison Mariella Désir, founder of Harlem Run, author of the bestselling book Running While Black, and the host of the award-winning PBS show, "Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir." Ali...

Direct from Kyoto, Japan, Rob hosts Set the Pace just a few days after he ran the Tokyo Marathon with Team for Kids. He’s joined by NYRR Chief Commercial Officer Christine Burke who has all the information you need about what it takes to run with one of the Official Charity Partners of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. The 2025 program just launched and the spots fill quickly so tune in to learn everything you need to know...

This week, Olympian Sharon Lokedi joins Rob and Becs to talk about getting ready for the United Airlines NYC Half and splitting her time between Flagstaff, Arizona and her native Kenya. Sharon discusses her transition from collegiate running to professional road racing and winning the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon in her marathon debut. She talks about her experience running the Paris 2024 Olympic Marathon and how she managed her...

This week’s episode is extra special as Becs chats with not one but two amazing guests: Peloton Instructor Jeffrey McEachern and NYRR Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director Ted Metellus. Jeffrey shares his running journey from his first steps during a low point in 2015 to running a half marathon while crying tears of joy to completing five of the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 18 months—and now on his way to ...

Rob and NYRR’s Chair of the Board of Directors, Nnenna Lynch, are training to run the Tokyo Marathon together, so this week, Nnenna joins Set The Pace to talk all things Tokyo! In addition to receiving some priceless Tokyo Marathon advice from Becs, Nnenna discusses her stellar collegiate and professional running careers, as well as her philosophy on staying fit in her 50s while juggling life as a CEO and raising two teen...

After Rob makes a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT and gets some critical winter run coaching from Becs, Set the Pace kicks off Black History Month with guest Harry Chandler. Harry is the co-owner of the Charlotte Running Company (CRC), one of the very few Black-owned running retail stores in the United States and voted the best running store in the country in 2021. He recently became the president of the Running Industry Association, an organizat...

Ever wonder what it’s like to direct the largest marathon in the world? Hear from the TCS New York City Marathon Race Director Ted Metellus and former NYRR CEO and Race Director of the New York City Marathon Mary Wittenberg during a live taping of Set the Pace at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square. From Mary's groundbreaking tenure as the first female race director of the New York City Marathon to Ted's current leaders...

Randi Zuckerberg, yes that Randi Zuckerberg! (entrepreneur and bestselling author) joins Set the Pace this week to describe how her running journey has taken her from 10ks to 250 milers in only two years time, all while she balances her role as a mother of three and a leader in the tech and media industries. Hear about the powerful lessons ultra running has taught Randi about vulnerability, community, and mental toughness and find ...

Joining Becs and Rob this week is British professional distance runner Calli Hauger-Thackery. The Yorkshire, England native represented Great Britain at the Paris Olympics last summer and took the women’s top spot at the California International Marathon in December, finishing in 2:24:28 and breaking the previous course record. Calli is setting her sights on the Boston Marathon in April, but before that, she’ll join an ...

On this week’s episode of Set the Pace, Becs reads questions from the running community about all things New York Road Runners as Rob provides clarity on some of the most asked questions such as how can runners get into sold-out races and how can more people run the TCS New York City Marathon for the first time. Rob also recaps key moments of 2024, including issuing a reimaged mission and vision statement, having record numbe...

Tune in to this special New Year’s episode of Set the Pace that’s all about resolutions, goal setting, and opportunities to help you stay motivated in 2025. Rob is joined by Coach Ben Delaney, director of training programs and operations at NYRR, who explains what NYRR coaches do to help thousands of runners reach their goals. Whether you’re just starting out or going for a PR, you can learn more about the various...

On this special holiday edition of Set the Pace, Rob shares some of the most inspiring conversations he’s had on the podcast this year that reflect our new vision of building healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. Tune in to hear from Peloton instructors and NYRR members who’ve turned to running to help them through difficult times and volunteers building community while he...