With just over two weeks until the RBC Brooklyn Half, Rob is joined by Ted Metellus, NYRR’s chief event production officer and race director, to discuss important updates to the race. In response to survey results, this year's race will have four start waves to ease course crowding and allow for an easier flow at the start, and the RBC Brooklyn Half Pre-Party will have extended hours to make it easier for people to visit Brooklyn Bridge Park on the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday before race day. Tune in to hear about course highlights and what runners and their friends and family can expect at the After-Party in Maimonides Park.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ted Metellus (00:00):
It is really an amazing event that a lot of
athletes mark off as saying that this is the one
we want to do to kick things off or get our
summertime training lining ourself up for the TCS New York
City Marathon. It's a barometer of fitness and health.
Rob Simmelkjaer (00:18):
Hey everybody and welcome to Set the Pace, the official
podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by Peloton. I'm
your host and the CEO of New York Road Runners
Rob Simmelkjaer and I am flying solo this week. Happy to
be back with all of you. Missed you all last
week. Becs did a great job. She is away, actually
(00:38):
in London this week. She and her family were over
in London of course this past weekend so that they
could root on Austin. And Austin earned his fifth star
in the TCS London Marathon last weekend. Congratulations to Austin
on that great accomplishment. He ran a really solid time, 3:46:
(00:59):
37, so only one star away. And we know that
Austin is going to be running Berlin. Hopefully he came
out of London healthy so he can run Berlin coming
up this fall for that big number six star. Hopefully
Becs and her family are enjoying some time in the
UK, her homeland after the London Marathon. And boy, what
(01:20):
a London Marathon it was. It was a beautiful day.
I was not there, but I got lots and lots
of reports from folks. We had a lot of Road
Runners' people on the ground, including by the way, our
guest on today's show, Ted Metellus, the race director of the
TCS New York City Marathon, our chief event production officer.
He was there. He'll be joining us to talk about
(01:41):
that a little bit and also to talk about the
upcoming RBC Brooklyn Half as well, so we'll hear from
Ted in a little while. But it just looked like an incredible
day in London. And not only did they have a
beautiful day, but they also broke a record. That's right,
they broke our recently established record for the largest marathon
in history. This record, it just keeps getting broken, whether
(02:05):
it's New York, Berlin, Paris, now London, it's kind of
like a beach ball getting bounced around from marathon to marathon.
But congratulations to Hugh Brasher and Nick Bitel and all the
folks at London Marathon events for a great day and
a beautiful, beautiful day for over 55, 000 runners in London.
It was really a special day for everybody. Congrats to
(02:27):
all the Road Runners members who ran as well and
finished. We had a great contingency from Team for Kids,
TFK, over there. We just had an incredible day, so
congrats to everybody listening who ran London or Boston for
that matter. I was in Boston a couple of weeks
ago and just it's such an incredible double, that Boston
to London week is perhaps the biggest week in marathon
(02:50):
running. And we know a lot of people who ran
them both amazingly, would run Boston, hop on a plane,
turn around and run London six days later. I saw
a lot of in Boston doing that, so congrats to
everybody who ran anything over that great, great stretch of
spring marathons. Meanwhile, this past weekend, we had a big
day here in New York of our own. The Maybelline
(03:12):
Women's Half was in Central Park, and let me tell
you, it was a gorgeous weekend for running. It was
a little chilly. I know early in the morning there
was a breeze, there was a bit of a chill,
but people came out and the women just came out
in droves. It's such a special event for all these
women to get a chance to run together. Lots of
(03:33):
men on the sidelines cheering them on. And Maybelline, what
a great partnership we have with them. People were so
excited to come out and get all the great free
stuff that Maybelline and the other brands that are part
of L'Oreal were giving out at the Maybelline Women's Half. Hope everybody
had a great day out there in Central Park. We
had over 5, 000 women come out to run this event.
(03:56):
And a shout- out to the winner, Kaitlyn Fischer, who
won with a terrific time of 1:19
challenging Central Park course, but it was a great day
for all concerned, so congratulations to everybody who ran on
Sunday here in New York. Hope everybody had a great
day. Well, we're just over two weeks out from the
(04:17):
RBC Brooklyn Half, and as I mentioned, we're going to
have New York Road Runners chief event production officer and
race director Ted Metellus, to tell us everything we need
to know if you're running this year, so in a
moment we're going to get to all of that. Then
later in the show, Meb Keflezighi will be here for
today's Meb Minute. He's going to help us kick off
mental health Awareness Month for the month of May with
(04:39):
his thoughts on how running can contribute to your mental
wellness. And speaking of mental health awareness month, this coming
weekend, we've got the New York Road Runners Mindful 5K,
and we're so excited for the second year in a
row to really have a race that shines a light
on the importance of mental health and the role that
running can play in improving all of our mental health.
(05:01):
I'm excited to be out there for that. That's out
at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Hope to see many
of you out there at the Mindful 5K coming up
this weekend. Ready to see real results. Try the Peloton
app for free and get expert design running programs that
build speed, strength, and endurance. Run outdoors with real time
coaching as instructors guide your form and pace every step
(05:24):
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now from the app store or Google Play, terms apply.
Peloton, the official digital fitness partner of New York Road
Runners. All right, as we get set for the RBC
(05:47):
Brooklyn Half, we welcome back to the show, the man
who makes it all happen at big events like the
Brooklyn Half New York Road Runners chief event production officer
and the director of all these great events, Ted Metellus.
Ted, nice to see you back here in the United
States of America after your travels overseas to the London
Marathon. We were in Boston together before that. How's it going?
Ted Metellus (06:10):
Rob Simmelkjaer, I'm doing all right. A little bit of
an award tour, making my way from Boston to London
to see not only a spectacular pro field, but celebrating
so many members of our New York Road Runners members,
Team for Kid participants and just members of our New
York Road Runnering and community globally. It was really amazing
(06:33):
to just run it to so many folks that came
over and said thank you for the great work that
we're doing, inspiring our youth, our seniors, keeping people moving.
It was good times, it was fuel for the soul.
Rob Simmelkjaer (06:44):
Well, they had a big day in London and congrats
to Hugh Brasher, Nick Bitel, the whole team at London
Marathon events for breaking the world record, which we had
just set in November for the largest marathon ever. Ted,
it's interesting that this record keeps getting broken and broken
(07:05):
and broken. It was Berlin then it was us, now
it's London. Who knows what will happen in November. And
how do you think about this? You and I talk about this a
lot, but how do you think about this record? It
gets a lot of attention. People talk about it. Is
it something people should be paying attention to? Is this
something that you think... At some point it's going to be a record that you can't break,
(07:28):
you can't have, at least we can anytime soon, 100, 000
people in the marathon, so the question is there a
ceiling for this record marathon size thing?
Ted Metellus (07:38):
Yeah. Listen, if I put my logistics hat on, it's
time and space. Those are the things that can safely
accommodate volume. You want lots of people, you need lots
of time, you need lots of space to be able
to facilitate that. But I think to answer the question,
I think it's fantastic. High tide raise all boats. A
conversation we were having as race directors and a conversation
we've been having in the industry is six years ago,
(07:59):
seven years ago, there was a lot to talk about
how do we keep the marathon going? How do we
keep the interest and engagement with the marathon going? How
do we change the demographic as many marathoners we're aging
out? And we are seeing a pretty significant change in
the marathon distance and so many people getting out there and
really marking this as a goal that they want to
accomplish. You talked about Berlin, Paris did it as well
(08:24):
last year, so we are seeing this on a global
scale where so many people are saying, " I want to
run a marathon, I want to train for a marathon. I want
to engage with this 26. 2 mile journey. I want
others to do it with me." And they see their
loved ones, family, friends, and neighbors do it and they're
then inspired to do the same thing. That's what we're
starting to see now is this tremendous boom in running,
(08:47):
particularly in the marathon distance, but everything in between.
Rob Simmelkjaer (08:51):
It is a virtuous cycle, as we say, more people
do, it makes more people want to do it. It's
the inspiration you get from watching others run in Boston
or London or New York. And so we love it.
We congratulate all of our friends in Boston and in
London for a great 10 days of racing and running.
And it goes on from here. We're excited. And so
(09:14):
here in New York, Ted, it goes on at the
RBC Brooklyn Half. And Ted, this race, speaking of popularity,
continues to get more and more popular. We had a
record number of people try to get into this race
this year. The numbers are going to be big yet
again. Hopefully we get good weather. And I think tied
to that popularity, Ted, is a big decision that you
(09:37):
and your team made to change the format of the
start of the RBC Brooklyn Half and increase the number
of waves. And this is something we talked about for
a while. This was a two wave race, but the
numbers just justify adding more waves. Can you talk about
that decision, Ted, and what that's going to mean for
the runners?
Ted Metellus (09:58):
Rob, you hit it on the head when you're looking
at volume and scope and to my earliest comment on
time and space, how do you help manage that? We
have an amazing venue over by the Brooklyn Museum, these
amazing landmarks that we have by our start, and I'll
talk about that in a moment. But what we want
to do to be able to facilitate a smooth operation
(10:19):
for the 28, 000 runners was taking the same amount of
time that we have for those two waves and breaking
them into four waves. And what that ultimately does is
allow an easier flow for athletes to get bags dropped
through security, pre- race needs as far as fluids, restrooms,
things of that nature, and then making their way over to
the start. There will be four starts for the RBC Brooklyn
(10:42):
Half Marathon. First wave leaves at 7
wave 7
is at 8
the same timeframe that we were able to release the
two waves that we had in previous years. Breaking that
up there allows a little bit more space at the
(11:04):
start, a little bit more space along the route and
obviously a smooth finish with the athletes making their way
down to Coney Island.
Rob Simmelkjaer (11:11):
And that's going to be a big win for the
runners, Ted, because in the couple of years I've been
here, those are the comments we typically have gotten about
this race. People love the race, they love the course,
especially the finish on Coney Island. It's such an incredibly
popular race, but there were times when people felt it
was a little bit crowded, especially in the first couple of
miles, so this is going to open that up. And
(11:32):
Ted, do you think that runners will see a noticeable
difference with this new setup?
Ted Metellus (11:37):
Absolutely they will. And we've really been working hard on
the logistical components of ensuring a smooth start to our
events across the board, whether it's our smaller weekly races
to these larger scale marquee events. Rob, when you think
about the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon and its history and
its legacy, this event is 42 years of running, 42
(11:57):
years, and if you were to take a guess at
the number of finishers we've had to date, not counting
what we're going to be doing in 18 days of
today's recording, but we've had over 334,275 finishers. The race
used to actually start in Coney Island and end in
Prospect Park then, and we did that from '96 to 2008. And
(12:19):
then it was in 2009 that we went from a
beautiful Prospect Park neighborhood area, so that's the Grand Army
Plaza, that is the Brooklyn Museum, that's the Brooklyn Library,
that's the Prospect Park Zoo. Those are all of the
beautiful things that you see now and have been seeing
since 2009 as we make our way down to beautiful
Coney Island. I share all that for context. You know I'm a
(12:42):
big fan of context to tell you where we've been
and where we're going to see that the growth of
what we do at New York Road Runners has been
tremendously impactful and there is not going to be very
many people, including you and I, that haven't ran in
this race. The last time I ran this race was
in 2017 and I dug up my medal and my medal
badge here and there's my medal from the last time
(13:03):
I ran in 2017-
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:03):
Look at that.
Ted Metellus (13:03):
... before coming back to New York Road Runners in 2018, so
it is really an amazing event that a lot of
athletes mark off as saying that this is the one
we want to do to kick things off or get our
summertime training, lining ourself up for the TCS New York
City Marathon. It's a great way, a barometer of fitness
and health here, a local event, a really strong community
(13:25):
event that gets people out there. And we'll be sprinkling
in a little bit when we chat about the youth
component as well that we'll see out there, so-
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:33):
I love it, Ted.
Ted Metellus (13:33):
... a little buzz there to get you excited.
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:35):
I'm so sad I've never run this race. It's a
shame I've never run this race.
Ted Metellus (13:40):
Rob, we got to fix that. I know a guy.
I know a guy.
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:46):
Introduce me to this guy who could get me into the races. I'd love to know this
guy. You know how I am. I don't like to
run our big races because our team is working so
hard, there's so much going on. I just never feel
like I should be out there running the marathon or
the United Airlines NYC half or this race. But for
(14:07):
everybody out there, run it for me. I'll be rooting
for you. Carry my hopes and dreams of running the
RBC Brooklyn Half with you that day. I need you
to do it for me.
Ted Metellus (14:17):
Absolutely. I think one year we're going to have to
figure out a way for you to experience the beauty
of the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon. I know you're always
saying, when I do site visits down in Coney Island, you're
always saying to me, " Make sure you get a Nathan's
hot dog, please."
Rob Simmelkjaer (14:29):
100%. I am so all about getting that hot dog
at the end of this race, but I got to
run it first. I'll just have the hot dog anyway,
Ted. All right, so another big change, not as big,
but I wanted to talk about the pre- party because
it's important I think for people to know that we
send out these surveys after every race, and I think
(14:50):
this is a good conversation to remind people that we
do actually read the survey results. We actually read the
results, we read the comments, we hear what people are
saying, and so we heard comments about course crowding and
that is why you're hearing about four waves in this
race going forward. We also have heard comments about the pre-
(15:12):
party and it's out there in Brooklyn Bridge Park and
the challenges that people do sometimes have, if they're maybe
living in Manhattan or working in Manhattan or they live
in the northern suburbs or even New Jersey, it can
be challenging to get to Brooklyn on the Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday before the race to pick up your bib. There's
two things that we want people to know about that.
(15:33):
First of all, we did make one change the pre-
party hours or earlier this year. We're starting an hour
early one day, so we want to... Make sure you
check the hours because we do have earlier hours for
the pre- party this year on Wednesday, 10:00 to 8:
30, Thursday, 10
day we opened at 9
(15:57):
The last bib pick up will be at 7
so you can get there a little bit earlier than
we've had it in past years, which we're hoping makes
it a bit easier for folks if they want to
get there before work starts or whatever to pick up
their bib. Another thing that we... This is not new,
but we want to make sure people really understand is
that you don't have to personally go to pick up
(16:18):
your bib. If you have a friend, if you're in
a running club and your run club captain is going,
they can pick it up for you. You can have
another person do it for you, and that should help
a lot of folks get their bibs for the RBC
Brooklyn Half. We want to make sure people know that,
we want this to be as convenient as possible for
everybody. All that said, Ted, the pre- party is a
(16:41):
really good time, especially if the weather's nice. It is
a fun place to hang out to enjoy the late
spring in New York City. It's on the water, there's
music, there's all kinds of fun there. I highly encourage
people to set aside a few hours. We don't call
it the expo, right Ted? We call it the pre-
party because it's a party that is pre the race,
(17:04):
so come check it out.
Ted Metellus (17:06):
Yep. The RBC Brooklyn Half pre- party presented by New
Balance. The location is at Pier 2 at Brooklyn Bridge
Park, so a huge thank you to our partners at Brooklyn
Bridge Park, who has been with us for a number
of years in elevating what Rob has so eloquently stated,
this party, this pre- party before the party and then
the after party that we'll talk about in a moment that's
(17:27):
in Maimonides Park there. One other thing too, Rob and I
love that you touched on not only the times, but
also the proxy pickup component because that helps manage people's
experience overall. But just the number of ways to get
there, literally every single way that you could traverse, you
can get there. There's buses that take you over to
Brooklyn Bridge Park. You could jump on the subway, the
(17:48):
A, the C, the F, the 2, the 3, the R, they all
make their way down there. The 4, the 5, they
all make their way down to that general area then and
you could walk on over. There's even ferry service, so
taking the ferry from Governors Island, the New York City
ferry is there, the East River ferries, the South Brooklyn
ferries, there's ferries that are coming in as far north
as the Bronx to make their way down to the
(18:09):
venue, so looking at how you get there will help
speed the process up. We will have volunteers along the
way that are sprinkled about as you're making your way
to the park to show you how to get to
the Pier number 2. But yes, food, music, beverages, entertainment,
incredible sites, amazing place to meet up with. It's open
(18:31):
to the public, so please come on down and see
the different programming activities and all of the things that
we have going on leading into race weekend.
Rob Simmelkjaer (18:39):
And we should point out the merch that is there
as well. And New Balance does a fantastic job with
the RBC Brooklyn Half every year. They've got some unique
stuff that is uniquely Brooklyn that they put together for
this event, so that's another reason to come to the pre-
party. We'd love to see you there, but we want
to make sure you know there's ways to get your
(18:59):
bib other than making it to that pre- party. All
right, so Ted, let's get to the course itself and
then we'll talk about the post- party. And we've talked
about the waves. For those who haven't run it before,
Ted, what do you think makes this course special?
Ted Metellus (19:14):
It's an interesting balance, Rob, of flat, fast, uphill, downhill
wide space. The first half of the course, the athletes will be
making their way over from, as I stated, Washington Avenue
just south of the Brooklyn Museum, and they'll be running past
some pretty cool iconic locations in that general space. They're
(19:36):
making their way down Washington, make the turn on Empire
and out in back on Flatbush Avenue going around beautiful
Grand Army Plaza running past the Prospect Park Zoo and
entering into Prospect Park. When they're making their way around
Prospect Park, there'll be a bit of a climb as
they're making their way around the park there. That first
section of the park in the course is amazing, so
(19:56):
many crowds out there, so much love, so much energy
as you get yourself up. It's funny, for those of
us who have run races, you always want to take
your time on the front end. You don't want to go
too far too fast on the front end of the
race there, so you want to pace yourself as you
make the way through. Once you exit out of the park,
then it opens up to Ocean Parkway, nice and wide
there. That's when you can really see where your training
(20:18):
has been throughout the winter here, coming into the early
part of the spring and lay the hammer as you're making your
way down. When you're making your way down on Ocean
Parkway, I want you to take a moment and you'll
start seeing some of the 1700 youth that will be participating in
the Boardwalk Run, the kids run that we have there.
(20:39):
Those are our rising New York Road Runners youth, your
future of the sport here, our future of the sport
there that'll be running different dashes. The event programming and activities
on the youth side starts with our wheelchair competitors. That'll
be starting at approximately 7
stage 2 and stage 3 going off following that. And
(21:00):
all programs will be running from approximately 7:0 AM to 9:
55. Once you're registered, pick up your bibs, make sure
you can do bib pickup on- site as well. Asser
Levy Park is the venue that you could pick up
all your pre- event elements there for our youth. But
back to the adults there as they're making their way down
Coney Island, making their way onto the boardwalk. When we
(21:22):
were talking about elements of the event that we have
done to enhance, we used to many years ago, run
up a pretty narrow path to get onto the boardwalk.
Last year we built this beautiful ramp now to get
the athletes up and onto the boardwalk there, so that
was a huge plus to help elevate their participant experience
as they're making their way out. A couple of quick
(21:43):
things to see on the course themselves, and I highly
recommend folks to take time out, look at the map
and look at the elements that are on the map.
There will be ten aid stations on this course. Okay,
water, Gatorade and Maurten Gel that will be out there for
the athletes there. Plan accordingly on that. Hydration, you can
bring your own personal hydration with you to run this
(22:05):
event there so you have that available to you. There
will be seven medical stations on the route as well
to provide support for the athletes as needed. We will
have tons, and when I say tons, tons of entertainment
on the course and cheer stations on the course, so
run clubs, run crews will be out there. Cheer partners
will be out there from New Balance, but also bands,
(22:25):
music and vibes that'll be out there on the course as well. The
route is going to be well- supported. Runners will have
an amazing time while they're out there really enjoying themselves
as they see the sights and sounds of Brooklyn.
Rob Simmelkjaer (22:38):
All right, for those who are going to be looking
for Maurten Gel, you mentioned that that's going to be
at mile seven, so that's the spot if you're looking
to pick up some gel along the way. But as
Ted said, we'll have stations, all 10 stations will have
Gatorade and water along the way, so lots of great
options to refuel. Hopefully we get a nice cool day,
(22:58):
a little early for the weather right now. That's the
thing about Brooklyn, Ted, in May, there's a lot of
different weather you could have. You could have a nice cool,
perfect day. That's definitely a day that could also be
warm, so be paying attention to that weather.
Ted Metellus (23:11):
And there's a couple of quick things too, having gone
out this morning to go for a run, Rob. For
our first time, newer runners, newer half marathoners, that'll be
out there, a couple of quick tips that you want
to do. Yes, look at the dates, look at the
times, look at the elements that are along the route.
Look at how you are going to get to your
start line and how you're going to get home post
(23:32):
the event. But definitely pay attention to what you're going
to wear that day. If it's cooler temps in the
morning and it slowly starts to warm up, make sure
you dress appropriately for that. We will be transporting your
gear from the start to the finish, so there'll be
gear vehicles, gear trucks that will be parked on stage over
at Eastern Parkway. The team will be able to guide
(23:54):
you there that you could drop your bags off, so
please get there early enough so you can get everything dropped
off along the way.
Rob Simmelkjaer (23:58):
How early, Ted? How early would you recommend if you've
got the, I think you said there was an 8
what time should people get there? Especially if they've got
to drop off baggage?
Ted Metellus (24:06):
I would recommend everybody to get on site with enough
time to warm up, use restrooms, get cleared anywhere between
45 minutes to an hour beforehand so that way there
is no rushing. Slow, medium, fast. Panic is not a
pace, so we don't need anybody trying to hustle bustle
so much. Cruise yourself down there. Our partners at the
MTA will have trains making their way down, the two
(24:27):
and the three, making your way over to Grand Army
Plaza. Walk over, there'll be direct signage to direct athletes
to what side of Eastern Parkway you'll be going to
line up. Again, read your material that's there, but panic
is not a pace. 45 minutes to an hour beforehand
is enough time for you to drop your bags off,
get screened, pre- race fluids, stretch and boogie.
Rob Simmelkjaer (24:48):
I love it. Panic is not a pace. Panic is
not helpful either. When you are trying to get yourself
in the right head space to run 13. 1 miles
panic is going to take some of that fuel right
out of your body. That is not a thing you
want, so get there early, relax, chill, talk to some
runners, see some friends. That's how you want to go
(25:11):
into a big race like the RBC Brooklyn Half. I
love it. All right, Ted, so our runners have made
it to Coney Island. They have crossed the finish line
on the beautiful Coney Island boardwalk. They have gotten their
beautiful medals that we put together for this race. Now
it's time for the after party, and I think this
is one of the best events we have at New
(25:32):
York Road Runners is the after party of the RBC
Brooklyn Half because we have such a great venue to
work with in Maimonides Ballpark there, and it's just a great place
to hang out. Sometimes I feel like it is the
race, is the after party because everybody just wants to
hang out and have a good time.
Ted Metellus (25:49):
100%. You have the pre- party at Brooklyn Bridge Park,
the party, which is the RBC Brooklyn Half, and then the
after party, which is all of the events and activities
that athletes will be receiving over in Maimonides Park there.
What you'll see and experience, which you make your way
down... First and foremost, huge thank you to all of
our partners in the Coney Island Alliance, Luna Park. They
(26:12):
will be open, businesses will be there, restaurants, bars, all
the places that will be open there on Surf Avenue right
by the finish, so folks can come over there. Also
at the ballpark, concessions will be open. You can get
something to eat, you can get something to drink. There'll
be music and entertainment on the field itself. Park up
(26:33):
on the seats, the jumbotron screen will be there and on
and playing, showing images of the athletes, showing pictures of
the athletes, so it's really a cool time to be
able to meet your loved ones, family and friends and
have a really good time at that event. Some other
things too that we want to know from our partner's
side, we definitely want to say a huge thank you
to our teams to ensure one, our volunteers that will be
(26:54):
out there, see a volunteer, thank a volunteer from start
to finish and even at the pre- party, so you definitely want to
show them love. Medical distribution that will be there, the medical
tents and services that'll be there, the HSS recovery zone
that will be there for athletes to get some post- race
stretching and loosening up, recovery bags that will have all kinds
of food, drink and nutrition in there to get you
set there. All of those elements will be prepped for
(27:16):
you once you cross that finish line. And I think,
Rob, if I'm correct, we'll also be doing a little
bit of a live podcast at the finish as well.
Rob Simmelkjaer (27:26):
That's right. We're going to have a live episode of
Set the Pace right there at the Brooklyn after- party.
We're actually going to have an episode at the pre-
party in Brooklyn, that's going to be at Brooklyn Bridge
Park. That's going to be on Thursday evening, which we're
excited about. And then we're going to have the post-
party podcast, that's going to be right after the race,
obviously late on Saturday morning, so please come see us.
(27:50):
If you want to come check out the podcast live,
Thursday at the pre- party or Saturday at the after-
party and we're going to have an incredible show there
at the after- party. We're going to have a surprise
guest plus Olympian and running coach, Kim Conley, will be
joining us there, so looking forward to seeing everybody out
there. I love Ted. And we've got folks who come out and see
(28:12):
the podcast live. I just had one this morning, say
hi to me on the subway. Set the Pace listener
who came to one of our live episodes, so we
love seeing our listeners in person, so make sure you
come check it out. Now Ted, before I let you
go, let's talk about the fans, the spectators a little
bit. They're such a big part of what make these
races great. If you are someone who's got a loved
(28:34):
one running the RBC Brooklyn Half, what are your tips
for them, Ted, in terms of where they can catch
their runners, the best places to be and to give
out that love?
Ted Metellus (28:43):
I'm smiling as I'm telling you this because I've had
friends and loved ones that have tracked me on this
race. And this was prior to us really having our new
sophisticated New York Road Runners racing app where you'll be
able to track your loved ones year round at all
the events that we do. But definitely download that because
it'll be able to see the splits that the athletes
(29:03):
have as they're making their way. But definitely seeing them
at the start when they make their way up and around
Grand Army Plaza, amazing shot. It's the home screen on
my phone, which is the Grand Army Plaza loop there
when I ran it back in '17. It's such a
great and iconic look there. Hop on the subway or
you can make your way into Prospect Park, see them
(29:24):
as they make their way on Prospect Park. Then hop
on the subway and head south onto Ocean Parkway. Catch
them on the route on Ocean Parkway and then zip
on down to Coney Island so you can have a
Nathan's hot dog with them as celebrating their finish there
of the RBC Brooklyn Half. There's multiple points along the
route that loved ones can and be a part of
this journey with you. It shouldn't just be on race
(29:45):
day, definitely come to the pre- party at Brooklyn Bridge
Park, partake in that excitement with them as well. Document
that journey and excitement. But definitely tracking them on the
app and catching them along the way. Hopping on the
subway, making your way south to Coney Island and meeting
them there.
Rob Simmelkjaer (29:59):
All right, Ted, always great to talk to you about
our biggest races of the year, the RBC Brooklyn Half,
so many people out there tell me that it really
is their favorite New York Road Runners event. Of course,
everybody loves the marathon, the United Airlines NYC Half of
course is always special, but I think it's just something
about seeing the ocean. There's just something that is human
(30:23):
that is just inherently relaxing when you know you're going
to see the ocean that day that makes you feel
better about life. And so this race gives you that
beautiful finish right there on Coney Island and one of the iconic
spots in New York City. Ted Metellus, the race director
of the RBC Brooklyn Half the TCS New York City
(30:44):
Marathon and all things as chief event production officer of
New York Road Runners. Thank you my friend. Appreciate it.
We'll see you out there in Brooklyn.
Ted Metellus (30:51):
Thank you all. Looking forward to seeing you. Thank you,
Rob. We've got to get you out there and run, baby.
Rob Simmelkjaer (31:09):
New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a
vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the
transformative power of running. The support of members and donors
like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the
health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and accessible
running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more
(31:31):
and contribute at NYRR. org/ donate. Now it's time for
today's Meb Minute.
Meb Keflezighi (31:38):
Mental wellness and running. Running releases endorphin, reduces stress, anxiety,
and symptoms of repression. Establishing a routine provides structure, a
sense of accomplishment and mental clarity. Running with community or
in nature enhances mood and social connection. Setting up personal
goals boosts motivation and reinforces positive mindset. Mental wellness and
(32:03):
running is amazing and setting goals is important that are
some daily, weekly, and monthly. It is beautiful and satisfying
when you reach your goals and cross it out, so
just make sure you are in good shape to have
one goal leads to another.
Rob Simmelkjaer (32:20):
All right, that does it for another episode of Set
the Pace presented by Peloton. Thank you to today's guest,
New York Road Runners chief event production officer and race
director Ted Metellus. Thanks to Meb as always as well.
And if you like this episode, please make sure you
subscribe, rate it, leave a comment so we can hear
from you and others can find the show as well.
(32:42):
Enjoy the miles everybody. We'll see you next week.
It is really an amazing event that a lot of
athletes mark off as saying that this is the one
we want to do to kick things off or get our
summertime training lining ourself up for the TCS New York
City Marathon. It's a barometer of fitness and health.
Rob Simmelkjaer (00:18):
Hey everybody and welcome to Set the Pace, the official
podcast of New York Road Runners, presented by Peloton. I'm
your host and the CEO of New York Road Runners
Rob Simmelkjaer and I am flying solo this week. Happy to
be back with all of you. Missed you all last
week. Becs did a great job. She is away, actually
(00:38):
in London this week. She and her family were over
in London of course this past weekend so that they
could root on Austin. And Austin earned his fifth star
in the TCS London Marathon last weekend. Congratulations to Austin
on that great accomplishment. He ran a really solid time, 3:46:
(00:59):
37, so only one star away. And we know that
Austin is going to be running Berlin. Hopefully he came
out of London healthy so he can run Berlin coming
up this fall for that big number six star. Hopefully
Becs and her family are enjoying some time in the
UK, her homeland after the London Marathon. And boy, what
(01:20):
a London Marathon it was. It was a beautiful day.
I was not there, but I got lots and lots
of reports from folks. We had a lot of Road
Runners' people on the ground, including by the way, our
guest on today's show, Ted Metellus, the race director of the
TCS New York City Marathon, our chief event production officer.
He was there. He'll be joining us to talk about
(01:41):
that a little bit and also to talk about the
upcoming RBC Brooklyn Half as well, so we'll hear from
Ted in a little while. But it just looked like an incredible
day in London. And not only did they have a
beautiful day, but they also broke a record. That's right,
they broke our recently established record for the largest marathon
in history. This record, it just keeps getting broken, whether
(02:05):
it's New York, Berlin, Paris, now London, it's kind of
like a beach ball getting bounced around from marathon to marathon.
But congratulations to Hugh Brasher and Nick Bitel and all the
folks at London Marathon events for a great day and
a beautiful, beautiful day for over 55, 000 runners in London.
It was really a special day for everybody. Congrats to
(02:27):
all the Road Runners members who ran as well and
finished. We had a great contingency from Team for Kids,
TFK, over there. We just had an incredible day, so
congrats to everybody listening who ran London or Boston for
that matter. I was in Boston a couple of weeks
ago and just it's such an incredible double, that Boston
to London week is perhaps the biggest week in marathon
(02:50):
running. And we know a lot of people who ran
them both amazingly, would run Boston, hop on a plane,
turn around and run London six days later. I saw
a lot of in Boston doing that, so congrats to
everybody who ran anything over that great, great stretch of
spring marathons. Meanwhile, this past weekend, we had a big
day here in New York of our own. The Maybelline
(03:12):
Women's Half was in Central Park, and let me tell
you, it was a gorgeous weekend for running. It was
a little chilly. I know early in the morning there
was a breeze, there was a bit of a chill,
but people came out and the women just came out
in droves. It's such a special event for all these
women to get a chance to run together. Lots of
(03:33):
men on the sidelines cheering them on. And Maybelline, what
a great partnership we have with them. People were so
excited to come out and get all the great free
stuff that Maybelline and the other brands that are part
of L'Oreal were giving out at the Maybelline Women's Half. Hope everybody
had a great day out there in Central Park. We
had over 5, 000 women come out to run this event.
(03:56):
And a shout- out to the winner, Kaitlyn Fischer, who
won with a terrific time of 1:19
challenging Central Park course, but it was a great day
for all concerned, so congratulations to everybody who ran on
Sunday here in New York. Hope everybody had a great
day. Well, we're just over two weeks out from the
(04:17):
RBC Brooklyn Half, and as I mentioned, we're going to
have New York Road Runners chief event production officer and
race director Ted Metellus, to tell us everything we need
to know if you're running this year, so in a
moment we're going to get to all of that. Then
later in the show, Meb Keflezighi will be here for
today's Meb Minute. He's going to help us kick off
mental health Awareness Month for the month of May with
(04:39):
his thoughts on how running can contribute to your mental
wellness. And speaking of mental health awareness month, this coming
weekend, we've got the New York Road Runners Mindful 5K,
and we're so excited for the second year in a
row to really have a race that shines a light
on the importance of mental health and the role that
running can play in improving all of our mental health.
(05:01):
I'm excited to be out there for that. That's out
at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Hope to see many
of you out there at the Mindful 5K coming up
this weekend. Ready to see real results. Try the Peloton
app for free and get expert design running programs that
build speed, strength, and endurance. Run outdoors with real time
coaching as instructors guide your form and pace every step
(05:24):
of the way. Plus, Strength for Runners, a program built
to help runners boost muscle and prevent injury, complements your
training so you can crush your goals even faster. Try
the app for free for 30 days and download it
now from the app store or Google Play, terms apply.
Peloton, the official digital fitness partner of New York Road
Runners. All right, as we get set for the RBC
(05:47):
Brooklyn Half, we welcome back to the show, the man
who makes it all happen at big events like the
Brooklyn Half New York Road Runners chief event production officer
and the director of all these great events, Ted Metellus.
Ted, nice to see you back here in the United
States of America after your travels overseas to the London
Marathon. We were in Boston together before that. How's it going?
Ted Metellus (06:10):
Rob Simmelkjaer, I'm doing all right. A little bit of
an award tour, making my way from Boston to London
to see not only a spectacular pro field, but celebrating
so many members of our New York Road Runners members,
Team for Kid participants and just members of our New
York Road Runnering and community globally. It was really amazing
(06:33):
to just run it to so many folks that came
over and said thank you for the great work that
we're doing, inspiring our youth, our seniors, keeping people moving.
It was good times, it was fuel for the soul.
Rob Simmelkjaer (06:44):
Well, they had a big day in London and congrats
to Hugh Brasher, Nick Bitel, the whole team at London
Marathon events for breaking the world record, which we had
just set in November for the largest marathon ever. Ted,
it's interesting that this record keeps getting broken and broken
(07:05):
and broken. It was Berlin then it was us, now
it's London. Who knows what will happen in November. And
how do you think about this? You and I talk about this a
lot, but how do you think about this record? It
gets a lot of attention. People talk about it. Is
it something people should be paying attention to? Is this
something that you think... At some point it's going to be a record that you can't break,
(07:28):
you can't have, at least we can anytime soon, 100, 000
people in the marathon, so the question is there a
ceiling for this record marathon size thing?
Ted Metellus (07:38):
Yeah. Listen, if I put my logistics hat on, it's
time and space. Those are the things that can safely
accommodate volume. You want lots of people, you need lots
of time, you need lots of space to be able
to facilitate that. But I think to answer the question,
I think it's fantastic. High tide raise all boats. A
conversation we were having as race directors and a conversation
we've been having in the industry is six years ago,
(07:59):
seven years ago, there was a lot to talk about
how do we keep the marathon going? How do we
keep the interest and engagement with the marathon going? How
do we change the demographic as many marathoners we're aging
out? And we are seeing a pretty significant change in
the marathon distance and so many people getting out there and
really marking this as a goal that they want to
accomplish. You talked about Berlin, Paris did it as well
(08:24):
last year, so we are seeing this on a global
scale where so many people are saying, " I want to
run a marathon, I want to train for a marathon. I want
to engage with this 26. 2 mile journey. I want
others to do it with me." And they see their
loved ones, family, friends, and neighbors do it and they're
then inspired to do the same thing. That's what we're
starting to see now is this tremendous boom in running,
(08:47):
particularly in the marathon distance, but everything in between.
Rob Simmelkjaer (08:51):
It is a virtuous cycle, as we say, more people
do, it makes more people want to do it. It's
the inspiration you get from watching others run in Boston
or London or New York. And so we love it.
We congratulate all of our friends in Boston and in
London for a great 10 days of racing and running.
And it goes on from here. We're excited. And so
(09:14):
here in New York, Ted, it goes on at the
RBC Brooklyn Half. And Ted, this race, speaking of popularity,
continues to get more and more popular. We had a
record number of people try to get into this race
this year. The numbers are going to be big yet
again. Hopefully we get good weather. And I think tied
to that popularity, Ted, is a big decision that you
(09:37):
and your team made to change the format of the
start of the RBC Brooklyn Half and increase the number
of waves. And this is something we talked about for
a while. This was a two wave race, but the
numbers just justify adding more waves. Can you talk about
that decision, Ted, and what that's going to mean for
the runners?
Ted Metellus (09:58):
Rob, you hit it on the head when you're looking
at volume and scope and to my earliest comment on
time and space, how do you help manage that? We
have an amazing venue over by the Brooklyn Museum, these
amazing landmarks that we have by our start, and I'll
talk about that in a moment. But what we want
to do to be able to facilitate a smooth operation
(10:19):
for the 28, 000 runners was taking the same amount of
time that we have for those two waves and breaking
them into four waves. And what that ultimately does is
allow an easier flow for athletes to get bags dropped
through security, pre- race needs as far as fluids, restrooms,
things of that nature, and then making their way over to
the start. There will be four starts for the RBC Brooklyn
(10:42):
Half Marathon. First wave leaves at 7
wave 7
is at 8
the same timeframe that we were able to release the
two waves that we had in previous years. Breaking that
up there allows a little bit more space at the
(11:04):
start, a little bit more space along the route and
obviously a smooth finish with the athletes making their way
down to Coney Island.
Rob Simmelkjaer (11:11):
And that's going to be a big win for the
runners, Ted, because in the couple of years I've been
here, those are the comments we typically have gotten about
this race. People love the race, they love the course,
especially the finish on Coney Island. It's such an incredibly
popular race, but there were times when people felt it
was a little bit crowded, especially in the first couple of
miles, so this is going to open that up. And
(11:32):
Ted, do you think that runners will see a noticeable
difference with this new setup?
Ted Metellus (11:37):
Absolutely they will. And we've really been working hard on
the logistical components of ensuring a smooth start to our
events across the board, whether it's our smaller weekly races
to these larger scale marquee events. Rob, when you think
about the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon and its history and
its legacy, this event is 42 years of running, 42
(11:57):
years, and if you were to take a guess at
the number of finishers we've had to date, not counting
what we're going to be doing in 18 days of
today's recording, but we've had over 334,275 finishers. The race
used to actually start in Coney Island and end in
Prospect Park then, and we did that from '96 to 2008. And
(12:19):
then it was in 2009 that we went from a
beautiful Prospect Park neighborhood area, so that's the Grand Army
Plaza, that is the Brooklyn Museum, that's the Brooklyn Library,
that's the Prospect Park Zoo. Those are all of the
beautiful things that you see now and have been seeing
since 2009 as we make our way down to beautiful
Coney Island. I share all that for context. You know I'm a
(12:42):
big fan of context to tell you where we've been
and where we're going to see that the growth of
what we do at New York Road Runners has been
tremendously impactful and there is not going to be very
many people, including you and I, that haven't ran in
this race. The last time I ran this race was
in 2017 and I dug up my medal and my medal
badge here and there's my medal from the last time
(13:03):
I ran in 2017-
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:03):
Look at that.
Ted Metellus (13:03):
... before coming back to New York Road Runners in 2018, so
it is really an amazing event that a lot of
athletes mark off as saying that this is the one
we want to do to kick things off or get our
summertime training, lining ourself up for the TCS New York
City Marathon. It's a great way, a barometer of fitness
and health here, a local event, a really strong community
(13:25):
event that gets people out there. And we'll be sprinkling
in a little bit when we chat about the youth
component as well that we'll see out there, so-
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:33):
I love it, Ted.
Ted Metellus (13:33):
... a little buzz there to get you excited.
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:35):
I'm so sad I've never run this race. It's a
shame I've never run this race.
Ted Metellus (13:40):
Rob, we got to fix that. I know a guy.
I know a guy.
Rob Simmelkjaer (13:46):
Introduce me to this guy who could get me into the races. I'd love to know this
guy. You know how I am. I don't like to
run our big races because our team is working so
hard, there's so much going on. I just never feel
like I should be out there running the marathon or
the United Airlines NYC half or this race. But for
(14:07):
everybody out there, run it for me. I'll be rooting
for you. Carry my hopes and dreams of running the
RBC Brooklyn Half with you that day. I need you
to do it for me.
Ted Metellus (14:17):
Absolutely. I think one year we're going to have to
figure out a way for you to experience the beauty
of the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon. I know you're always
saying, when I do site visits down in Coney Island, you're
always saying to me, " Make sure you get a Nathan's
hot dog, please."
Rob Simmelkjaer (14:29):
100%. I am so all about getting that hot dog
at the end of this race, but I got to
run it first. I'll just have the hot dog anyway,
Ted. All right, so another big change, not as big,
but I wanted to talk about the pre- party because
it's important I think for people to know that we
send out these surveys after every race, and I think
(14:50):
this is a good conversation to remind people that we
do actually read the survey results. We actually read the
results, we read the comments, we hear what people are
saying, and so we heard comments about course crowding and
that is why you're hearing about four waves in this
race going forward. We also have heard comments about the pre-
(15:12):
party and it's out there in Brooklyn Bridge Park and
the challenges that people do sometimes have, if they're maybe
living in Manhattan or working in Manhattan or they live
in the northern suburbs or even New Jersey, it can
be challenging to get to Brooklyn on the Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday before the race to pick up your bib. There's
two things that we want people to know about that.
(15:33):
First of all, we did make one change the pre-
party hours or earlier this year. We're starting an hour
early one day, so we want to... Make sure you
check the hours because we do have earlier hours for
the pre- party this year on Wednesday, 10:00 to 8:
30, Thursday, 10
day we opened at 9
(15:57):
The last bib pick up will be at 7
so you can get there a little bit earlier than
we've had it in past years, which we're hoping makes
it a bit easier for folks if they want to
get there before work starts or whatever to pick up
their bib. Another thing that we... This is not new,
but we want to make sure people really understand is
that you don't have to personally go to pick up
(16:18):
your bib. If you have a friend, if you're in
a running club and your run club captain is going,
they can pick it up for you. You can have
another person do it for you, and that should help
a lot of folks get their bibs for the RBC
Brooklyn Half. We want to make sure people know that,
we want this to be as convenient as possible for
everybody. All that said, Ted, the pre- party is a
(16:41):
really good time, especially if the weather's nice. It is
a fun place to hang out to enjoy the late
spring in New York City. It's on the water, there's
music, there's all kinds of fun there. I highly encourage
people to set aside a few hours. We don't call
it the expo, right Ted? We call it the pre-
party because it's a party that is pre the race,
(17:04):
so come check it out.
Ted Metellus (17:06):
Yep. The RBC Brooklyn Half pre- party presented by New
Balance. The location is at Pier 2 at Brooklyn Bridge
Park, so a huge thank you to our partners at Brooklyn
Bridge Park, who has been with us for a number
of years in elevating what Rob has so eloquently stated,
this party, this pre- party before the party and then
the after party that we'll talk about in a moment that's
(17:27):
in Maimonides Park there. One other thing too, Rob and I
love that you touched on not only the times, but
also the proxy pickup component because that helps manage people's
experience overall. But just the number of ways to get
there, literally every single way that you could traverse, you
can get there. There's buses that take you over to
Brooklyn Bridge Park. You could jump on the subway, the
(17:48):
A, the C, the F, the 2, the 3, the R, they all
make their way down there. The 4, the 5, they
all make their way down to that general area then and
you could walk on over. There's even ferry service, so
taking the ferry from Governors Island, the New York City
ferry is there, the East River ferries, the South Brooklyn
ferries, there's ferries that are coming in as far north
as the Bronx to make their way down to the
(18:09):
venue, so looking at how you get there will help
speed the process up. We will have volunteers along the
way that are sprinkled about as you're making your way
to the park to show you how to get to
the Pier number 2. But yes, food, music, beverages, entertainment,
incredible sites, amazing place to meet up with. It's open
(18:31):
to the public, so please come on down and see
the different programming activities and all of the things that
we have going on leading into race weekend.
Rob Simmelkjaer (18:39):
And we should point out the merch that is there
as well. And New Balance does a fantastic job with
the RBC Brooklyn Half every year. They've got some unique
stuff that is uniquely Brooklyn that they put together for
this event, so that's another reason to come to the pre-
party. We'd love to see you there, but we want
to make sure you know there's ways to get your
(18:59):
bib other than making it to that pre- party. All
right, so Ted, let's get to the course itself and
then we'll talk about the post- party. And we've talked
about the waves. For those who haven't run it before,
Ted, what do you think makes this course special?
Ted Metellus (19:14):
It's an interesting balance, Rob, of flat, fast, uphill, downhill
wide space. The first half of the course, the athletes will be
making their way over from, as I stated, Washington Avenue
just south of the Brooklyn Museum, and they'll be running past
some pretty cool iconic locations in that general space. They're
(19:36):
making their way down Washington, make the turn on Empire
and out in back on Flatbush Avenue going around beautiful
Grand Army Plaza running past the Prospect Park Zoo and
entering into Prospect Park. When they're making their way around
Prospect Park, there'll be a bit of a climb as
they're making their way around the park there. That first
section of the park in the course is amazing, so
(19:56):
many crowds out there, so much love, so much energy
as you get yourself up. It's funny, for those of
us who have run races, you always want to take
your time on the front end. You don't want to go
too far too fast on the front end of the
race there, so you want to pace yourself as you
make the way through. Once you exit out of the park,
then it opens up to Ocean Parkway, nice and wide
there. That's when you can really see where your training
(20:18):
has been throughout the winter here, coming into the early
part of the spring and lay the hammer as you're making your
way down. When you're making your way down on Ocean
Parkway, I want you to take a moment and you'll
start seeing some of the 1700 youth that will be participating in
the Boardwalk Run, the kids run that we have there.
(20:39):
Those are our rising New York Road Runners youth, your
future of the sport here, our future of the sport
there that'll be running different dashes. The event programming and activities
on the youth side starts with our wheelchair competitors. That'll
be starting at approximately 7
stage 2 and stage 3 going off following that. And
(21:00):
all programs will be running from approximately 7:0 AM to 9:
55. Once you're registered, pick up your bibs, make sure
you can do bib pickup on- site as well. Asser
Levy Park is the venue that you could pick up
all your pre- event elements there for our youth. But
back to the adults there as they're making their way down
Coney Island, making their way onto the boardwalk. When we
(21:22):
were talking about elements of the event that we have
done to enhance, we used to many years ago, run
up a pretty narrow path to get onto the boardwalk.
Last year we built this beautiful ramp now to get
the athletes up and onto the boardwalk there, so that
was a huge plus to help elevate their participant experience
as they're making their way out. A couple of quick
(21:43):
things to see on the course themselves, and I highly
recommend folks to take time out, look at the map
and look at the elements that are on the map.
There will be ten aid stations on this course. Okay,
water, Gatorade and Maurten Gel that will be out there for
the athletes there. Plan accordingly on that. Hydration, you can
bring your own personal hydration with you to run this
(22:05):
event there so you have that available to you. There
will be seven medical stations on the route as well
to provide support for the athletes as needed. We will
have tons, and when I say tons, tons of entertainment
on the course and cheer stations on the course, so
run clubs, run crews will be out there. Cheer partners
will be out there from New Balance, but also bands,
(22:25):
music and vibes that'll be out there on the course as well. The
route is going to be well- supported. Runners will have
an amazing time while they're out there really enjoying themselves
as they see the sights and sounds of Brooklyn.
Rob Simmelkjaer (22:38):
All right, for those who are going to be looking
for Maurten Gel, you mentioned that that's going to be
at mile seven, so that's the spot if you're looking
to pick up some gel along the way. But as
Ted said, we'll have stations, all 10 stations will have
Gatorade and water along the way, so lots of great
options to refuel. Hopefully we get a nice cool day,
(22:58):
a little early for the weather right now. That's the
thing about Brooklyn, Ted, in May, there's a lot of
different weather you could have. You could have a nice cool,
perfect day. That's definitely a day that could also be
warm, so be paying attention to that weather.
Ted Metellus (23:11):
And there's a couple of quick things too, having gone
out this morning to go for a run, Rob. For
our first time, newer runners, newer half marathoners, that'll be
out there, a couple of quick tips that you want
to do. Yes, look at the dates, look at the
times, look at the elements that are along the route.
Look at how you are going to get to your
start line and how you're going to get home post
(23:32):
the event. But definitely pay attention to what you're going
to wear that day. If it's cooler temps in the
morning and it slowly starts to warm up, make sure
you dress appropriately for that. We will be transporting your
gear from the start to the finish, so there'll be
gear vehicles, gear trucks that will be parked on stage over
at Eastern Parkway. The team will be able to guide
(23:54):
you there that you could drop your bags off, so
please get there early enough so you can get everything dropped
off along the way.
Rob Simmelkjaer (23:58):
How early, Ted? How early would you recommend if you've
got the, I think you said there was an 8
what time should people get there? Especially if they've got
to drop off baggage?
Ted Metellus (24:06):
I would recommend everybody to get on site with enough
time to warm up, use restrooms, get cleared anywhere between
45 minutes to an hour beforehand so that way there
is no rushing. Slow, medium, fast. Panic is not a
pace, so we don't need anybody trying to hustle bustle
so much. Cruise yourself down there. Our partners at the
MTA will have trains making their way down, the two
(24:27):
and the three, making your way over to Grand Army
Plaza. Walk over, there'll be direct signage to direct athletes
to what side of Eastern Parkway you'll be going to
line up. Again, read your material that's there, but panic
is not a pace. 45 minutes to an hour beforehand
is enough time for you to drop your bags off,
get screened, pre- race fluids, stretch and boogie.
Rob Simmelkjaer (24:48):
I love it. Panic is not a pace. Panic is
not helpful either. When you are trying to get yourself
in the right head space to run 13. 1 miles
panic is going to take some of that fuel right
out of your body. That is not a thing you
want, so get there early, relax, chill, talk to some
runners, see some friends. That's how you want to go
(25:11):
into a big race like the RBC Brooklyn Half. I
love it. All right, Ted, so our runners have made
it to Coney Island. They have crossed the finish line
on the beautiful Coney Island boardwalk. They have gotten their
beautiful medals that we put together for this race. Now
it's time for the after party, and I think this
is one of the best events we have at New
(25:32):
York Road Runners is the after party of the RBC
Brooklyn Half because we have such a great venue to
work with in Maimonides Ballpark there, and it's just a great place
to hang out. Sometimes I feel like it is the
race, is the after party because everybody just wants to
hang out and have a good time.
Ted Metellus (25:49):
100%. You have the pre- party at Brooklyn Bridge Park,
the party, which is the RBC Brooklyn Half, and then the
after party, which is all of the events and activities
that athletes will be receiving over in Maimonides Park there.
What you'll see and experience, which you make your way
down... First and foremost, huge thank you to all of
our partners in the Coney Island Alliance, Luna Park. They
(26:12):
will be open, businesses will be there, restaurants, bars, all
the places that will be open there on Surf Avenue right
by the finish, so folks can come over there. Also
at the ballpark, concessions will be open. You can get
something to eat, you can get something to drink. There'll
be music and entertainment on the field itself. Park up
(26:33):
on the seats, the jumbotron screen will be there and on
and playing, showing images of the athletes, showing pictures of
the athletes, so it's really a cool time to be
able to meet your loved ones, family and friends and
have a really good time at that event. Some other
things too that we want to know from our partner's
side, we definitely want to say a huge thank you
to our teams to ensure one, our volunteers that will be
(26:54):
out there, see a volunteer, thank a volunteer from start
to finish and even at the pre- party, so you definitely want to
show them love. Medical distribution that will be there, the medical
tents and services that'll be there, the HSS recovery zone
that will be there for athletes to get some post- race
stretching and loosening up, recovery bags that will have all kinds
of food, drink and nutrition in there to get you
set there. All of those elements will be prepped for
(27:16):
you once you cross that finish line. And I think,
Rob, if I'm correct, we'll also be doing a little
bit of a live podcast at the finish as well.
Rob Simmelkjaer (27:26):
That's right. We're going to have a live episode of
Set the Pace right there at the Brooklyn after- party.
We're actually going to have an episode at the pre-
party in Brooklyn, that's going to be at Brooklyn Bridge
Park. That's going to be on Thursday evening, which we're
excited about. And then we're going to have the post-
party podcast, that's going to be right after the race,
obviously late on Saturday morning, so please come see us.
(27:50):
If you want to come check out the podcast live,
Thursday at the pre- party or Saturday at the after-
party and we're going to have an incredible show there
at the after- party. We're going to have a surprise
guest plus Olympian and running coach, Kim Conley, will be
joining us there, so looking forward to seeing everybody out
there. I love Ted. And we've got folks who come out and see
(28:12):
the podcast live. I just had one this morning, say
hi to me on the subway. Set the Pace listener
who came to one of our live episodes, so we
love seeing our listeners in person, so make sure you
come check it out. Now Ted, before I let you
go, let's talk about the fans, the spectators a little
bit. They're such a big part of what make these
races great. If you are someone who's got a loved
(28:34):
one running the RBC Brooklyn Half, what are your tips
for them, Ted, in terms of where they can catch
their runners, the best places to be and to give
out that love?
Ted Metellus (28:43):
I'm smiling as I'm telling you this because I've had
friends and loved ones that have tracked me on this
race. And this was prior to us really having our new
sophisticated New York Road Runners racing app where you'll be
able to track your loved ones year round at all
the events that we do. But definitely download that because
it'll be able to see the splits that the athletes
(29:03):
have as they're making their way. But definitely seeing them
at the start when they make their way up and around
Grand Army Plaza, amazing shot. It's the home screen on
my phone, which is the Grand Army Plaza loop there
when I ran it back in '17. It's such a
great and iconic look there. Hop on the subway or
you can make your way into Prospect Park, see them
(29:24):
as they make their way on Prospect Park. Then hop
on the subway and head south onto Ocean Parkway. Catch
them on the route on Ocean Parkway and then zip
on down to Coney Island so you can have a
Nathan's hot dog with them as celebrating their finish there
of the RBC Brooklyn Half. There's multiple points along the
route that loved ones can and be a part of
this journey with you. It shouldn't just be on race
(29:45):
day, definitely come to the pre- party at Brooklyn Bridge
Park, partake in that excitement with them as well. Document
that journey and excitement. But definitely tracking them on the
app and catching them along the way. Hopping on the
subway, making your way south to Coney Island and meeting
them there.
Rob Simmelkjaer (29:59):
All right, Ted, always great to talk to you about
our biggest races of the year, the RBC Brooklyn Half,
so many people out there tell me that it really
is their favorite New York Road Runners event. Of course,
everybody loves the marathon, the United Airlines NYC Half of
course is always special, but I think it's just something
about seeing the ocean. There's just something that is human
(30:23):
that is just inherently relaxing when you know you're going
to see the ocean that day that makes you feel
better about life. And so this race gives you that
beautiful finish right there on Coney Island and one of the iconic
spots in New York City. Ted Metellus, the race director
of the RBC Brooklyn Half the TCS New York City
(30:44):
Marathon and all things as chief event production officer of
New York Road Runners. Thank you my friend. Appreciate it.
We'll see you out there in Brooklyn.
Ted Metellus (30:51):
Thank you all. Looking forward to seeing you. Thank you,
Rob. We've got to get you out there and run, baby.
Rob Simmelkjaer (31:09):
New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a
vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the
transformative power of running. The support of members and donors
like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the
health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and accessible
running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more
(31:31):
and contribute at NYRR. org/ donate. Now it's time for
today's Meb Minute.
Meb Keflezighi (31:38):
Mental wellness and running. Running releases endorphin, reduces stress, anxiety,
and symptoms of repression. Establishing a routine provides structure, a
sense of accomplishment and mental clarity. Running with community or
in nature enhances mood and social connection. Setting up personal
goals boosts motivation and reinforces positive mindset. Mental wellness and
(32:03):
running is amazing and setting goals is important that are
some daily, weekly, and monthly. It is beautiful and satisfying
when you reach your goals and cross it out, so
just make sure you are in good shape to have
one goal leads to another.
Rob Simmelkjaer (32:20):
All right, that does it for another episode of Set
the Pace presented by Peloton. Thank you to today's guest,
New York Road Runners chief event production officer and race
director Ted Metellus. Thanks to Meb as always as well.
And if you like this episode, please make sure you
subscribe, rate it, leave a comment so we can hear
from you and others can find the show as well.
(32:42):
Enjoy the miles everybody. We'll see you next week.
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