November 3, 2025 • 31 mins
This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast, we go global! Kyle takes listeners on a tour of the Abbott World Marathon Majors — the legendary lineup of races that make up every runner’s dream circuit. From the streets of Boston to the bright lights of Tokyo, from the speed of Berlin to the energy of New York, we break down what makes each race iconic, how many runners they draw, and the fascinating stories behind them. We also talk about Abbott, the health company that sponsors the series, and TCS, the tech giant powering several of these races. Whether you’re chasing a Six-Star medal, dreaming of running your first Major, or just love hearing about big-time running culture, this episode celebrates the best finish lines in the world — and the everyday runners who make them magical.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
Hello, everyone, greedys and salutations. Welcome back to another episode
of the Back of the Pack Podcast. I'm your host,
Kyle Walker. Thank you so much for tuning in. It
is our first Monday in November. Time flies when you're
having fun, doesn't it. This was also the last weekend
that we had without a race for a long time,
so it was kind of nice getting a weekend off.
I absolutely should have gotten a long run in and
(00:35):
I absolutely did not. That was bad on my part.
So we didn't have any races this weekend, which means
we don't have any race reviews, but we certainly have
topics to cover. So last week we did the Monday episode,
you know, and we've talked about making the Tokyo Marathon
and how great that's gonna be. That comes up on
March first, twenty twenty six, and holy cow, we're going
(00:56):
to Tokyo and everything is grand. And then we did
the Back of the Pack podcast second wind episode, which
we dropped. We finished up our series. It was on Halloween,
and you know, everything was great. Things developed since the
recording of the last two podcast episodes that we must
now update you on. Not only did the great race
(01:18):
director in the Sky smile upon us and put us
into the Tokyo Marathon for twenty twenty six. But now
via the lottery, we have Sydney. The Sydney Marathon, the
newest world marathon. Major chose the podcast shows yours truly
(01:38):
chose us to come over there and run their race
on August thirtieth, twenty twenty six. Now, to be one
hundred percent honest with you all, I am going to
do my absolute darnedest to get to both of those races,
bring you absolutely everything, cover it from top to bottom,
left to right and even diagonally.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
That is my goal.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
But these are also two gigantic international trips and that
takes what we call money. There is an outside chance
Sydney might get deferred to twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I hope not.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I am gonna do everything I can, and I am
buttering up missus Back at the Back podcast as best
I can. But two gigantic international trips from Kansas to Tokyo,
Kansas to Sydney, Australia. The budget may not be there now.
I can always hope that this podcast eventually blows up
and I start bringing in more money on it than
(02:34):
I know what to do with that has.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Not happened yet.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I can hope, and I'm going to try and what
the new interm. I'm gonna try and manifest that we
are going to somehow come up with the dough and
get both of those races covered with no problems. Not
selling a kidney next year to try and bring you
all this coverage. But I just want to I want
to keep expectations reasonable. I say, we're ninety nine point
(02:57):
nine percent in on Tokyo, like the hotels already booked.
Mother in law of the podcast is coming with us,
so we're getting that taken care of Tokyo's ago. Sydney,
I'm gonna put it right at fifty to fifty right
now that we're able to pull that off in twenty
twenty six. But I am gonna do my absolute best
(03:17):
because I want to cover that race. I want to
bring it to you. I want what will technically be
my sixth World Marathon Major. However, it is not count
to have Sydney as your sixth World Marathon Major. It
can only be your seventh. The original six are the
only ones that constitute a six star finisher, and even
(03:40):
if everything goes right next year, that still leaves us
lacking in London, so it's a weird system. Sydney does
not count as number six. You are not a six
star finisher if you have Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo.
Sydney is not six. Only London can be six, or
however you do it. In that realm of races, Sydney
(04:04):
can only be seven and there's not going to be
a seven star finishing medal. They will only go from
six to nine when they add the two more one
looking like it's gonna be Cape Town, South Africa. Nope,
not going there, No, thank you, not doing that. This
past year's race was canceled hours before the race because
of wind. They had high wind, so their big bid
(04:27):
to make it as an Abbott World Marathon Major fell
kind of flat in twenty twenty five as they could
even pull off the race. And then the other ones
being considered are Beijing and Shanghai, so you look like China.
Either way, I would be far more inclined and look
for maybe Marathon number eight World Marathon Major number eight
in Shanghai or Beijing. Still neither is my first choice
(04:47):
of places to go to, but Cape Town unless I
am chasing nine unless by some miracle I've got the
money and by some miracle I can afford armed security.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
I am not going to Cape Town anyway.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Well, we're gonna today, in case you hadn't noticed, is
the Abbot World Marathon Majors. This has been requested a
long time ago. Somebody tell me what this is, What
is this all about? Why is it so important? And
so that's what we're going to talk about on today's episode.
We didn't have a race this past weekend. They just
completed the New York City Marathon. The TCS New York
City Marathon was just done right before this recording. So
(05:21):
congratulations to all the finishers. I know we had several
people from our running family over there. Great job out
of you guys. I see that everyone finished. Everyone's done well.
They survived New York again. The New York City Marathon,
as I've said repeatedly, is my a number one favorite marathon.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I just couldn't get over the electricity in the crowd
and in the city.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
It was just it was this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Event like I had never seen before. Okay, so just
the amount of runners I had never seen before until Berlin,
but the amount of spectators and the electricity in the
crowd was it's never been matched. So New York City
is still my a number one. But let's go ahead
and talk about so the Abbot World Marathon Majors. So
what this is Abbot They are what they are kind
(06:06):
of a nutrition company here. Abbot Laboratories is a global
healthcare company and they renewed its title sponsorship showing its
commitment to health and running. So these are the Abbot
World Marathon Majors. Now you'll see a lot of these
races have TCS in the front of them. That's a
completely different company, and that is TCS.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Let's just go dive into.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
It is part of the Tata Group, Global it and
consulting company. So you have the TCS New York Marathon,
you have the TCS Sydney Marathon, you have the TCS
London Marathon, and oh man, I'm now completely blanking. Maybe
it's just those four because in the Tokyo Foundation, Bank
of America, Chicago, Bank of America, Boston. Okay, So yeah,
(06:47):
that's TCS, and so they're one of the big title
companies of the races. But it is Abbot that does
the World Marathon Major series.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And so what this is.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Let's see here, that's the best way to put it.
It is supposed to be kind of the grand stage,
almost the almost the triple Crown for the running world. Okay,
so if you think of horse raiding, the horse racing,
there's the Triple Crown, there's the Preakness, there's the Belmont,
there's a Kentucky Derby, and so you take your horse
(07:19):
to those three races, and you try and win the
Triple Crown. In baseball, you try and win the Triple Caround.
You have the most hits, the most are home runs,
and the most RBIs in a season. It is a
series to try and take the best of the best
of the runners and like prove themselves in a series
of races. Now, I cannot even think of a professional
(07:39):
runner who has done all six in one calendar year.
I'm sure there are those who have, and I know
that there are more recreational runners who still might be
very fast, but who have definitely done that. They have
kind of the grand slam of doing them all in
one calendar year. That is super great on you. If
you can do that, that is not something that I've
ever really been able to consider.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
But let's go over some of the races here.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
So we know that Abbot they are a company, Global
Healthcare company. TCS is another company. They are Global It
and Consulting. So those are two of the biggest sponsors.
The other two races are Bank of America. We all
know Bank of America if you're here in America, the
biggest bank in America.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Go figure.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They take care of the Chicago Marathon and just recently
took over the Boston Marathon. And then the Tokyo Foundation
they do the Tokyo Marathon. So they are just kind
of a group unto itself, should we say so. The
Abbot World Marathon major series. It launched in two thousand
and six as a championship style competition among the world's
premier marathons. So the title sponsor Abbot, as we get
(08:40):
Global Healthcare, why it is popular? Okay, So this is
what they say. Why it is popular is the prestige
global travel and then the six star finisher status, you know,
and then seem to be seven stars, eight stars, nine stars.
I don't know if they're ever going to go past
nine stars. No idea for kind of more every day
runners like that like us, even if you only run
(09:01):
one of the majors. It's it's kind of an inspiration.
It's kind of the race bigger than what you have
done before. And then if you chase multiple trust me,
if you get one or you get two, then it's
gonna creep into your brain that you want to get more.
You want to get three, you want to get four,
maybe even up to the six and possibly seven.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
It is.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
We're gonna get into kind of the argument against it
here in a little bit, but I just want to again,
I'm setting the ground where there are people who see
it as a negative.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
I do not.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I see it as absolutely as a positive and age
we're gonna we're gonna come back to that. So on
the TCS folks, they're running sponsorship strategy is they partner
with many major marathons, including some of the majors, and
use the events to promote health, technology, innovation and community.
So they also have the TCS Amsterdam Marathon. I know
they're big on that, among others. They have a TCS
(09:49):
Toronto that just recently ran. I know that running Buddy
Dan did that one. So they cover a lot of
the bigger races, which is why you might see tcs
in front of a lot of them. I mean they're
in front of four of them, and a lot of
other races around there. And so it's one of those
things like if you are chasing the six World Marathon
Majors or seven, you at least know that these races,
(10:11):
as big as they are, they are being backed really
by powerhouses, powerhouse companies, powerhouse organizations. So you're not, you know,
out there running for Joe Schmo race director who doesn't
know Chip from Chinola. That is not a thing that's
gonna happen. These are big time people. These are big
time races, which is why they are run at least
in my opinion, so very effectively. All right, Now, every
(10:33):
race has room for improvement. These are no different. But
this is also not a race where they're gonna run out.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Of cups at the eight station.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
It's not a race where well, I'd say they're not
gonna run out of medals. But the year I did Boston,
they ran out of medals. But that was due to
banditing and not the race organization. And if you want
to listen to that, go back. We've done episodes on
banditing before. But here's where let's go over the races.
Just in case you're I'm familiar. You know a lot
of new people listen to this, you may not really
underst and what the World Marathon Majors is and what
(11:01):
races they are. So the first one is the Tokyo Marathon.
Chose that first because that's what's coming up for US.
March first, twenty twenty six, gonna be there. Founded in
two thousand and seven and as a major event, it
took over. It joined the majors in twenty thirteen, So
an Abbert World Marathon Major as of twenty thirteen, So
they've gotten plenty of years, will be thirteen years kind
(11:22):
of doing this as a major under their belt, so
they kind of know what they're doing. There are tens
of thousands, it is often thirty five to forty thousand
runners in the field for Tokyo, and then they are
the earliest race on the yearly calendar, all right, so
March first, so it is what some would see as
the season opener, but March first, they're the first one.
(11:43):
So like if you're gonna try and Grand Slam throughout
the year, you're starting in Tokyo. There is no way
in the world. I was ever going to be able
to pull off doing all of these in one year,
nor do I want to remember my first World Marathon
major was in twenty eighteen in Chicago, so just to
kind of show you how long it's taken me to
to get forward down this road. It is a big
(12:03):
race for international runners as this is kind of eats
East meets West, like it's the culture of Japan, and
then it's also being in the big city, so it's
a big one. The Boston Marathon comes next. It began
in eighteen ninety seven. It is the oldest race in
the country all right, of any of them.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
It is a little over.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Thirty thousand finishers, huge spectator presence. They estimate five hundred
thousand people along the course in New England. Remember it
is a point to point so you got from all
the way out in Hopkinson where you start, all the
way to downtown Boston, past Fenway Park, and you know
it's lined with people along the way. When I did
Boston in twenty twenty three, again amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
So glad to get that one off my list.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
The crowd support was good in periods, good at times
and at times there was no one. Now maybe the
road in the sides of the road didn't allow for
spectators to gather. There was times that's one hundred percent correct.
There are also just some dead spots where there was
not much crowd support, not much going on. It was
just you and you know, many thousands other runners around you,
(13:10):
but it was used to you, guys, run it. There
was not a whole lot of energy in the crowd
to try and keep going. What I've told people before,
and I'll say again, the Boston fans were very helpful.
They want to hand you the Kleenex if you need it.
They will give you the soda if you need it.
They'll give you the Jolly Rancher if you need it.
You know, how can they help you? Whereas the New
York City crowd was you know, electric and crazy, Boston
(13:31):
was very helpful, very kind. People along the side of
the course. They want to see you finish. They want
you to continue forward. They don't want you keeling over
in front of their house or on their street corner
where they're standing. So Boston was really good for that.
It is the world's oldest Annuel marathon and the you know,
it's got Heartbreak Hill that is like the most legendary
piece of world marathon major course and again Heartbreak Hill.
(13:56):
It's a tough hill, but we've got those here in town.
I didn't understand. I didn't realize I was on Heartbreak
Hill until I signed the saw the sign that said
I was on Heartbreak Hill.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Like, oh, this is Heartbreak Hill.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I mean, this is any other hill out of the
Garment Kansas City Half Marathon, or any other hill out
of Hospital Hill.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
It's not that daunting.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
So if you are ever someone looking at Boston, Heartbreak
Hill is nothing that we haven't seen around here in
the Midwest. You have to come from a very flat
part of the country or the world to really be
frightened by Heartbreak Hill. Now to the elite runners, I
can see how that hill could trip you up. I
could see how you might overdo it on that hill.
You might get your pacing wrong, it might mess with
your breathing. But we're not talking everest here. The hills
(14:39):
were infinitely worse at mile fifteen in a little Rock.
I'm just thrown at a mile fifteen a little rock.
You just wallop Heartbreak Hill. You know that hill is
nothing to me. And so what makes Boston the really
special one is, of course the qualifying standards. It is
the elite of the elite who can run that race,
(14:59):
who qualified to run that race. And then of course
people like me and many, many, many, many, many others
have raised thousands and thousands upon millions of dollars for charities.
And again I understand the snobbishness that comes with the
Boston Marathon, and for some, not all, for some of
the qualifying people, they very much look down their nose
(15:20):
on the charity runners. And fine, look down your nose
all you want, just remember we've helped a lot of
people so that we can run that race, all right.
When I did it in twenty twenty three, run for
the Boston Athletic Association charity helping kids in inner city
Boston live healthier, be healthier. Again, I understand that doesn't
resonate to a keen of city crop, but I did
(15:42):
reach the funds through the grace and the kindness of
friends and family and a few listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
We did it. But it was seventy five hundred dollars.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Now you can't get into Boston, I don't think for
less than twelve thousand dollars. So it has gone up.
It has gone up a lot. But but the thing
to really focus on is not the dollar amount and
not the holy crap you make them raise so much
money so you can run this race.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
It is doing good.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
It is going back into the community or to the
hospital or to the whatever it is you're running Boston for.
Just try and keep that in mind, because I know
the price tag is huge, and as people outside the
air of Boston, it's like, well, I'm never gonna see
any good from this, but.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
It is doing good.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
So that's just something I hope we can kind of
keep in mind as we look at charity bibs for
Boston as ninety percent, if that's fair, ninety percent of
the people listening to this podcast or are never going
to time qualify for Boston, of which I'm one, I'm
right here first and foremost. I am never time qualifying
for Boston. Well, you might get it when you're eighty.
I'm not gonna make it to eighty.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
So I'm never going to qualify for Boston.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
But I was able to get in on a charity bib,
and I will always be grateful to everyone who supported me.
And then I will never ever, ever ever ask you
to do it again, and I haven't and I'm not
going to no matter what happens with London. The way
I get in, however I get in, Hooker Crook, It's
not going to be through a charity bib where I
ask all of you to help me again. Boston was
once in a lifetime and it's good that brings us
(17:09):
to The London Marathon started in nineteen eighty one. Participants
are often between forty thousand and fifty thousand. I think
now they've actually crossed over fifty thousand, So they're running
a huge race over there. It is one of the
fastest courses, they say, and a massive charity fundraising machine.
(17:29):
And I get that because it's a bigger field than Boston.
You so you would think there's more charity runners. They
have from as long as I've looked, Their charity bibs
cost over ten thousand dollars and it's been that way
since I started researching this stuff so for years. So
they raise more money and it's a very in demand race.
So looking ahead at Sydney and looking at London, London
(17:52):
Lottery Sydney Lottery, Sydney Lottery had over one hundred and
twenty three thousand people enter their name in the lottery.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I did the math.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I had a twenty four percent chance of being chosen
for the Sydney lottery. For the Sydney Marathon lottery, okay,
great if you go over to London. London with a
bigger field. Because Sydney's field is about thirty thousand, London's
field can be up to fifty thousand. They had one
point two million people drop their name trying to get
into the London Marathon.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I did the math. Even though I didn't make it.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
You had a four percent chance of making the London
Marathon in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Well, I mean sorry, twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
The lottery is already done for twenty twenty five people
who know who's running twenty twenty six. I am not
one of them, which is probably good because three international
trips I guarantee is not happening. But you have a
much smaller chance of getting in through the lottery into
London then you did something like Sydney. It is a
very in demand race. And then they of course run
along the most iconic parts of the city. You've got
(18:48):
Big Ben, you've got the Thames River, and you know
et cetera, et cetera, and you see so many people
running in costumes. Running in costume is a big thing
for the London Marathon. Don't ask me why. The Berlin
Marathon that we did back in twenty twenty four started
in nineteen seventy four, so in twenty twenty four when
I did it, it was their fiftieth and that was
really cool to be a part of that. And the
year that I did it, they had fifty four thousand,
(19:09):
two hundred and eighty finishers from one hundred and sixty
different countries, so it was huge and I tell people
that's the only race I've ever done. We're from start
to finish, you were smushed. There was never a point
you're just running free and you're out there by yourself
and there's no one with an armshot of you. No
you could reach out and touch someone. One hundred percent
(19:31):
of every step and every mile, every kilometer of that race,
you were never without reach of another runner. It was
just that full with that many people on those roads.
It was wild, but super excited to do it. And
Berlin was an amazing experience. Honestly, if Berlin had been
a bad experience for me, as my first international race.
(19:52):
I would not have continued on the six Star journey.
If Berlin had been a bad experience, I would have said,
you know what, London, Tokyo and now Sydney. Man, I
didn't have a good time, I'm not really going to
keep chasing this because of such a sour experience. No,
Berlin was amazing. It was a wonderful experience, and that
has invigorated me to continue on the process. Go to Tokyo,
go to Sydney, go to London, get these races done,
(20:14):
and then try and see a few things while I'm there.
So again, fortunate, very very fortunate to be in that position.
But Berlin definitely helped with that, and so with they say,
why it matters if you're chasing time, Berlin is the target.
Berlin is definitely one of the faster of the courses.
I don't know which is flatter, Berlin or Chicago, but
(20:35):
I found Berlin to be an easier course until you
hit the cobblestone streets if you are already hurting, if
your feet hurt, and I was having right foot issue
for my Berlin marathon. When you hit that cobblestone, man,
it felt like my foot exploded and that was not fun.
It took a while to recover from that. Twice I
had to stop and kind of take my shoes off
or assume my right shoe and like work out my
foot and try and get.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
It figured out. I struggle.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
I rode the struggle bus a little bit in Berlin
and I was still just three minutes off of a
pr It's an easy course. The next one is the
Chicago Marathon, so that began in nineteen seventy seven. The
participant field is often forty five to fifty thousand runners.
Another big one. It is a flat course fast. They
do the Age World Age Group World Championship Qualifier, which
(21:19):
is another thing that Abbott does. Again will never pertain
to me, but that's one of the big races for Chicago.
It is kind of a secondary contest on top of
the contest. If you're not any who cares not in it.
So I don't really care. It is really like the
most accessible US city for everyone to do that race,
(21:40):
and so I know a lot of first timers try
and get into Chicago because it's an easy course.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
For me, it's a drive.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
It's an eight hour or less drive from Kansas City,
to Chicago, so you don't even really to fly in,
but you know, center the country easy for everyone to
get into. I am willing to venture a guess it
is not the largest race for international feel. I think
that will probably belonged to London or Berlin or maybe even.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Tokyo, New York.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Possibly Boston, No, because of qualifying standards. And then Chicago no,
just because I didn't get a big international feel when
I was there in twenty eighteen. It seemed like it
was a lot of American runners running an American race.
And again, I'm sure they're internationals there. Of course there
was like no duh, But I think those European races
probably have more people from around the globe going to them.
(22:28):
And again that's just my guess, not based in any fact.
But Bank of America in Chicago Marathon again for my
first world marathon major, it was a fun experience. I
struggled go figure twenty eighteen. I was not in the
best shape ever. Came across a runner who was struggling
more than me, so we finished the race together, even
though it was like dragging a boulder behind me trying
(22:48):
to keep her from quitting, and like nope, come on, nope,
we're going to the finish. No, no, you're not gonna
uber out of here. Come on, nope, here we go out,
let's go. It was trying to be kind and it
cost me a little bit. So Chicago is I definitely
want redemption on someday. I hope to go back to
Chicago because again for me, it's easy to get to,
it's not a difficult travel. And then brother in law
(23:08):
the pack lives there, so i'd have a place to
stay and I don't have to pay Bookoo bucks for
a hotel room in Chicago, because boy, how doy they
jack up those prices?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
My lower anyway, all right.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
The New York City Marathon first held in nineteen seventy.
It became the world's largest marathon participants in between or
around fifty thousand. There were fifty four hundred two finishers
in twenty twenty three, so a little bit after I
did it, I did it in twenty twenty one. It
is the Five Boroughs. It ends in Central Park. The
crowd of nearly two million spectators. So if you're wondering
(23:43):
why away say the environment in the atmosphere was electric,
it's because there were two million people lining that course,
and again I did it in twenty twenty one. We
were talking reduced field because of the coronavirus and then
reduced crowd support because of the coronavirus. But to those
who came out, they still up a long, forever lasting impression.
(24:03):
And I didn't even get to run it at full capacity.
I want to run it at full capacity in New York.
Sydney Marathon another one that I definitely want to go
back to. And they call this one the global Marathon,
your culture, size and experience. I get that, and I
agree with all of those things. Sorry, I think I
was just shaking my screen a little bit. Apologies on that.
And then lastly we have the Sydney Marathon. So now
(24:24):
the TCS Sidney Marathon newly added, its first running as
a major was in twenty twenty four. It's really what
they wanted to do was open up the Australian continent.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And now it brings in anyone who.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Already had the six, they're like, well crap, now I
got to try and get seven. Even though there's not
a new metal for it. It's not gonna do any
good for your metal wall. But again for the bragging
rights and for everything else they added Sydney. Now people
have to come and they got to try and get
back there and do that. And so that's kind of
where it is now. Look, I understand and I've seen this.
(24:58):
It's becoming a popular thing online right now. People are
getting on there and they are absolutely blasting the World
Marathon Majors. They just say, it's a rich it's a
reason for rich people to run. It's just a money grab.
It's not important. Having the six stars is an important.
Running majors is an important. There's a lot of hate
out there for the World Marathon Majors.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
And if you feel that way, super super great.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I'm not gonna tell you how to feel. I'm just
gonna tell you how I feel about it. I look
at it as the key to let's just call it
the Runners Hall of Fame, all right. Now, I get it.
You're saying, Kyle, that's stupid, that's ridiculous. You will never
be in the Runner's Hall of Fame. And you're probably
right what I kind of compare it to. And I'm
(25:44):
trying to choose my words carefully, So pardon me if
this seems a little slow.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
If you make it to a Hall of fame.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
In baseball, you have to build your Hall of Fame resume.
If you make it to the Hall of Fame. In basketball,
you have to build your Hall of Fame resume. You
have to build your legacy as an athlete. I see
this no differently.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Now.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Look, not everyone is Michael Jordan and not everyone is
Wayne Gretzky. There are very few of us, and not
any of us, are you lould Kip Choking. There are
many of us who have to build that Hall of
Fame resume. We don't just get in by being the
greatest ever. And that's what I think the world marathon
majors are. I am building my Hall of Fame running
legacy by having these races, amongst others. But I feel
(26:30):
like you can't really make it into the baseball Hall
of Fame if you didn't meet certain benchmarks. If you
are a below average fielder, you weren't.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Going to make it into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
If you had below average RBI totals, You're not gonna
make it into the Hall of Fame. You have to
hit certain benchmarks to make it into a Hall of
Fame of any capacity. I feel like the world marathon
major six now seven are benchmarks to make it into basically,
and again this is in my own mind, but the
quote unquot quote Runners Hall of Fame. I want to
(27:02):
be in that. I want to feel as though I
put forth the best career that I could in running,
because someday it will be over and I want to
be able to look and say, you know what I
have done all these things. I have done the World
marathon majors. I have done the biggest finisher medal in
North America with Little Rock. I have done the marathon
(27:22):
of my hometown in Kansas City. I have done you know,
I want to hopefully someday due a race in Alaska.
I have done Alaska. I want to do the Dopey Challenge.
I have done the dopey kind of a thing. I
am building the resume. There's a bird outside momento.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I'm building my.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Running resume for this completely make believe and completely unreal
Runners Hall of Fame. And if that is not important
to you, it is not important for you to have
the World Marathon Majors or even to pretend like you're
building your resume for Runners Hall of Fame, well thenya,
you don't have to give a crap about these. What
I simply suggest is don't tear it down for others.
(27:59):
And that's wherever is gone. It's oh, it's only for
rich runners. I'm not a rich runner, all right. We
have made many, many sacrifices around the house. And credit
to missus back of the Pack podcast, who puts up
with my nonsense. We have made many sacrifices to do
the things that we have done so that I can
have these experiences, I can bring them to you. I'm
fortunate enough I can talk to you guys about them.
(28:20):
But we have sacrificed in order to do these things.
And if you ask any Hall of Famer, they will
say they had to sacrifice xyz to accomplish ABC. That's
where I see it as. And if it's not important
to you, super great, But don't crap on the people.
It is important to It is important to me. Why
(28:42):
because the running world said these were the big races.
These are what are recognized as the elite races, as
the biggest races, as the most important races. Now, trust me,
if they had said, okay, world, the most important race
on God's green Earth is rexy run in Lawrence Kansas. Okay,
well then I'd be doing that one too, And I
do do that one because it's important to me. But
(29:05):
you know, this is what is recognized universally through the
run community as the biggest racist. So this is what
I want to do. This is how I have chosen
to build my resume, to leave a lasting impression someday
that meals maybe my kids look back on and say, Wow,
my dad did some shit, or you know it's recognized somewhere. Hey,
(29:25):
you remember that guy that used to do the back
in the Back podcast? You know how any races that
ADI had actually ran things like that. You can call
it an ego stroke if you want to. You can
call it misguided. I call it whatever you want. This
is how I see it. So, yes, I pursue the
World Marathon majors. I think they are important. They are
important to me for the lasting impression of my running legacy,
(29:45):
whatever that may or may not be. So if you disagree,
super great, let me know. If you agree, super great,
let me know. I'm easy either way. Just I caution
again last time I'll say it. Don't crap on the
people that it is important to. It's not important to you. Great,
I support in whatever is important to your running journey.
This is important to me, and it's important to a
lot of other people. It is not just rich people
(30:08):
running rich races. I wish that were the case, because
I would love to identify as a rich person.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I do not. But it's been super fun. I'll give
you that.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
It has been a great experience one I'm very happy
to be in.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
The midst of.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I've seen amazing things, I've done amazing things. I've sacrificed
a lot to get there, but I've enjoyed every step
four steps so far of the World Marathon major journey,
and I will enjoy every step I take in Tokyo
in March, and then hopefully i'll enjoy every step in Sydney,
and then when I get to London, trust me, you're
(30:42):
gonna hear about it because that will be the completion
of this journey. And I've said before probably my retirement
from full marathon running after London because these knees aren't
getting any better. But anyway, that's where we're gonna leave it.
So next weekend we are in Lincoln, Nebraska for Good Life,
So come and see me at the expoll. I'll see
you on race morning. We're going to Lincoln. We're gonna
(31:05):
have a good old time. It's gonna be fun, and
then we'll talk about it next week Friday on Back
of the Pack Podcast, Second Win, we're gonna start our
November series, so make sure you tune into that. And
other than that, we're just going to keep on keeping on.
We are now race packed all the way up until
basically Christmas, so a lot of race reviews to do.
So that's gonna do it for this week's episode of
the Back of the Pack Podcast. I'd love your feedback
(31:26):
if you want to get it. I'm your host, Kyle Walker.
Is my pleasure. As always, everyone, have a safe week
of training and we will see you this weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Hello, everyone, greedys and salutations. Welcome back to another episode
of the Back of the Pack Podcast. I'm your host,
Kyle Walker. Thank you so much for tuning in. It
is our first Monday in November. Time flies when you're
having fun, doesn't it. This was also the last weekend
that we had without a race for a long time,
so it was kind of nice getting a weekend off.
I absolutely should have gotten a long run in and
(00:35):
I absolutely did not. That was bad on my part.
So we didn't have any races this weekend, which means
we don't have any race reviews, but we certainly have
topics to cover. So last week we did the Monday episode,
you know, and we've talked about making the Tokyo Marathon
and how great that's gonna be. That comes up on
March first, twenty twenty six, and holy cow, we're going
(00:56):
to Tokyo and everything is grand. And then we did
the Back of the Pack podcast second wind episode, which
we dropped. We finished up our series. It was on Halloween,
and you know, everything was great. Things developed since the
recording of the last two podcast episodes that we must
now update you on. Not only did the great race
(01:18):
director in the Sky smile upon us and put us
into the Tokyo Marathon for twenty twenty six. But now
via the lottery, we have Sydney. The Sydney Marathon, the
newest world marathon. Major chose the podcast shows yours truly
(01:38):
chose us to come over there and run their race
on August thirtieth, twenty twenty six. Now, to be one
hundred percent honest with you all, I am going to
do my absolute darnedest to get to both of those races,
bring you absolutely everything, cover it from top to bottom,
left to right and even diagonally.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
That is my goal.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
But these are also two gigantic international trips and that
takes what we call money. There is an outside chance
Sydney might get deferred to twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I hope not.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I am gonna do everything I can, and I am
buttering up missus Back at the Back podcast as best
I can. But two gigantic international trips from Kansas to Tokyo,
Kansas to Sydney, Australia. The budget may not be there now.
I can always hope that this podcast eventually blows up
and I start bringing in more money on it than
(02:34):
I know what to do with that has.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Not happened yet.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I can hope, and I'm going to try and what
the new interm. I'm gonna try and manifest that we
are going to somehow come up with the dough and
get both of those races covered with no problems. Not
selling a kidney next year to try and bring you
all this coverage. But I just want to I want
to keep expectations reasonable. I say, we're ninety nine point
(02:57):
nine percent in on Tokyo, like the hotels already booked.
Mother in law of the podcast is coming with us,
so we're getting that taken care of Tokyo's ago. Sydney,
I'm gonna put it right at fifty to fifty right
now that we're able to pull that off in twenty
twenty six. But I am gonna do my absolute best
(03:17):
because I want to cover that race. I want to
bring it to you. I want what will technically be
my sixth World Marathon Major. However, it is not count
to have Sydney as your sixth World Marathon Major. It
can only be your seventh. The original six are the
only ones that constitute a six star finisher, and even
(03:40):
if everything goes right next year, that still leaves us
lacking in London, so it's a weird system. Sydney does
not count as number six. You are not a six
star finisher if you have Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo.
Sydney is not six. Only London can be six, or
however you do it. In that realm of races, Sydney
(04:04):
can only be seven and there's not going to be
a seven star finishing medal. They will only go from
six to nine when they add the two more one
looking like it's gonna be Cape Town, South Africa. Nope,
not going there, No, thank you, not doing that. This
past year's race was canceled hours before the race because
of wind. They had high wind, so their big bid
(04:27):
to make it as an Abbott World Marathon Major fell
kind of flat in twenty twenty five as they could
even pull off the race. And then the other ones
being considered are Beijing and Shanghai, so you look like China.
Either way, I would be far more inclined and look
for maybe Marathon number eight World Marathon Major number eight
in Shanghai or Beijing. Still neither is my first choice
(04:47):
of places to go to, but Cape Town unless I
am chasing nine unless by some miracle I've got the
money and by some miracle I can afford armed security.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
I am not going to Cape Town anyway.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Well, we're gonna today, in case you hadn't noticed, is
the Abbot World Marathon Majors. This has been requested a
long time ago. Somebody tell me what this is, What
is this all about? Why is it so important? And
so that's what we're going to talk about on today's episode.
We didn't have a race this past weekend. They just
completed the New York City Marathon. The TCS New York
City Marathon was just done right before this recording. So
(05:21):
congratulations to all the finishers. I know we had several
people from our running family over there. Great job out
of you guys. I see that everyone finished. Everyone's done well.
They survived New York again. The New York City Marathon,
as I've said repeatedly, is my a number one favorite marathon.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Ever.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I just couldn't get over the electricity in the crowd
and in the city.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
It was just it was this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Event like I had never seen before. Okay, so just
the amount of runners I had never seen before until Berlin,
but the amount of spectators and the electricity in the
crowd was it's never been matched. So New York City
is still my a number one. But let's go ahead
and talk about so the Abbot World Marathon Majors. So
what this is Abbot They are what they are kind
(06:06):
of a nutrition company here. Abbot Laboratories is a global
healthcare company and they renewed its title sponsorship showing its
commitment to health and running. So these are the Abbot
World Marathon Majors. Now you'll see a lot of these
races have TCS in the front of them. That's a
completely different company, and that is TCS.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Let's just go dive into.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
It is part of the Tata Group, Global it and
consulting company. So you have the TCS New York Marathon,
you have the TCS Sydney Marathon, you have the TCS
London Marathon, and oh man, I'm now completely blanking. Maybe
it's just those four because in the Tokyo Foundation, Bank
of America, Chicago, Bank of America, Boston. Okay, So yeah,
(06:47):
that's TCS, and so they're one of the big title
companies of the races. But it is Abbot that does
the World Marathon Major series.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And so what this is.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Let's see here, that's the best way to put it.
It is supposed to be kind of the grand stage,
almost the almost the triple Crown for the running world. Okay,
so if you think of horse raiding, the horse racing,
there's the Triple Crown, there's the Preakness, there's the Belmont,
there's a Kentucky Derby, and so you take your horse
(07:19):
to those three races, and you try and win the
Triple Crown. In baseball, you try and win the Triple Caround.
You have the most hits, the most are home runs,
and the most RBIs in a season. It is a
series to try and take the best of the best
of the runners and like prove themselves in a series
of races. Now, I cannot even think of a professional
(07:39):
runner who has done all six in one calendar year.
I'm sure there are those who have, and I know
that there are more recreational runners who still might be
very fast, but who have definitely done that. They have
kind of the grand slam of doing them all in
one calendar year. That is super great on you. If
you can do that, that is not something that I've
ever really been able to consider.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
But let's go over some of the races here.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
So we know that Abbot they are a company, Global
Healthcare company. TCS is another company. They are Global It
and Consulting. So those are two of the biggest sponsors.
The other two races are Bank of America. We all
know Bank of America if you're here in America, the
biggest bank in America.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Go figure.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
They take care of the Chicago Marathon and just recently
took over the Boston Marathon. And then the Tokyo Foundation
they do the Tokyo Marathon. So they are just kind
of a group unto itself, should we say so. The
Abbot World Marathon major series. It launched in two thousand
and six as a championship style competition among the world's
premier marathons. So the title sponsor Abbot, as we get
(08:40):
Global Healthcare, why it is popular? Okay, So this is
what they say. Why it is popular is the prestige
global travel and then the six star finisher status, you know,
and then seem to be seven stars, eight stars, nine stars.
I don't know if they're ever going to go past
nine stars. No idea for kind of more every day
runners like that like us, even if you only run
(09:01):
one of the majors. It's it's kind of an inspiration.
It's kind of the race bigger than what you have
done before. And then if you chase multiple trust me,
if you get one or you get two, then it's
gonna creep into your brain that you want to get more.
You want to get three, you want to get four,
maybe even up to the six and possibly seven.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
It is.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
We're gonna get into kind of the argument against it
here in a little bit, but I just want to again,
I'm setting the ground where there are people who see
it as a negative.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
I do not.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I see it as absolutely as a positive and age
we're gonna we're gonna come back to that. So on
the TCS folks, they're running sponsorship strategy is they partner
with many major marathons, including some of the majors, and
use the events to promote health, technology, innovation and community.
So they also have the TCS Amsterdam Marathon. I know
they're big on that, among others. They have a TCS
(09:49):
Toronto that just recently ran. I know that running Buddy
Dan did that one. So they cover a lot of
the bigger races, which is why you might see tcs
in front of a lot of them. I mean they're
in front of four of them, and a lot of
other races around there. And so it's one of those
things like if you are chasing the six World Marathon
Majors or seven, you at least know that these races,
(10:11):
as big as they are, they are being backed really
by powerhouses, powerhouse companies, powerhouse organizations. So you're not, you know,
out there running for Joe Schmo race director who doesn't
know Chip from Chinola. That is not a thing that's
gonna happen. These are big time people. These are big
time races, which is why they are run at least
in my opinion, so very effectively. All right, Now, every
(10:33):
race has room for improvement. These are no different. But
this is also not a race where they're gonna run out.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Of cups at the eight station.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
It's not a race where well, I'd say they're not
gonna run out of medals. But the year I did Boston,
they ran out of medals. But that was due to
banditing and not the race organization. And if you want
to listen to that, go back. We've done episodes on
banditing before. But here's where let's go over the races.
Just in case you're I'm familiar. You know a lot
of new people listen to this, you may not really
underst and what the World Marathon Majors is and what
(11:01):
races they are. So the first one is the Tokyo Marathon.
Chose that first because that's what's coming up for US.
March first, twenty twenty six, gonna be there. Founded in
two thousand and seven and as a major event, it
took over. It joined the majors in twenty thirteen, So
an Abbert World Marathon Major as of twenty thirteen, So
they've gotten plenty of years, will be thirteen years kind
(11:22):
of doing this as a major under their belt, so
they kind of know what they're doing. There are tens
of thousands, it is often thirty five to forty thousand
runners in the field for Tokyo, and then they are
the earliest race on the yearly calendar, all right, so
March first, so it is what some would see as
the season opener, but March first, they're the first one.
(11:43):
So like if you're gonna try and Grand Slam throughout
the year, you're starting in Tokyo. There is no way
in the world. I was ever going to be able
to pull off doing all of these in one year,
nor do I want to remember my first World Marathon
major was in twenty eighteen in Chicago, so just to
kind of show you how long it's taken me to
to get forward down this road. It is a big
(12:03):
race for international runners as this is kind of eats
East meets West, like it's the culture of Japan, and
then it's also being in the big city, so it's
a big one. The Boston Marathon comes next. It began
in eighteen ninety seven. It is the oldest race in
the country all right, of any of them.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
It is a little over.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Thirty thousand finishers, huge spectator presence. They estimate five hundred
thousand people along the course in New England. Remember it
is a point to point so you got from all
the way out in Hopkinson where you start, all the
way to downtown Boston, past Fenway Park, and you know
it's lined with people along the way. When I did
Boston in twenty twenty three, again amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
So glad to get that one off my list.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
The crowd support was good in periods, good at times
and at times there was no one. Now maybe the
road in the sides of the road didn't allow for
spectators to gather. There was times that's one hundred percent correct.
There are also just some dead spots where there was
not much crowd support, not much going on. It was
just you and you know, many thousands other runners around you,
(13:10):
but it was used to you, guys, run it. There
was not a whole lot of energy in the crowd
to try and keep going. What I've told people before,
and I'll say again, the Boston fans were very helpful.
They want to hand you the Kleenex if you need it.
They will give you the soda if you need it.
They'll give you the Jolly Rancher if you need it.
You know, how can they help you? Whereas the New
York City crowd was you know, electric and crazy, Boston
(13:31):
was very helpful, very kind. People along the side of
the course. They want to see you finish. They want
you to continue forward. They don't want you keeling over
in front of their house or on their street corner
where they're standing. So Boston was really good for that.
It is the world's oldest Annuel marathon and the you know,
it's got Heartbreak Hill that is like the most legendary
piece of world marathon major course and again Heartbreak Hill.
(13:56):
It's a tough hill, but we've got those here in town.
I didn't understand. I didn't realize I was on Heartbreak
Hill until I signed the saw the sign that said
I was on Heartbreak Hill.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Like, oh, this is Heartbreak Hill.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I mean, this is any other hill out of the
Garment Kansas City Half Marathon, or any other hill out
of Hospital Hill.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
It's not that daunting.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
So if you are ever someone looking at Boston, Heartbreak
Hill is nothing that we haven't seen around here in
the Midwest. You have to come from a very flat
part of the country or the world to really be
frightened by Heartbreak Hill. Now to the elite runners, I
can see how that hill could trip you up. I
could see how you might overdo it on that hill.
You might get your pacing wrong, it might mess with
your breathing. But we're not talking everest here. The hills
(14:39):
were infinitely worse at mile fifteen in a little Rock.
I'm just thrown at a mile fifteen a little rock.
You just wallop Heartbreak Hill. You know that hill is
nothing to me. And so what makes Boston the really
special one is, of course the qualifying standards. It is
the elite of the elite who can run that race,
(14:59):
who qualified to run that race. And then of course
people like me and many, many, many, many, many others
have raised thousands and thousands upon millions of dollars for charities.
And again I understand the snobbishness that comes with the
Boston Marathon, and for some, not all, for some of
the qualifying people, they very much look down their nose
(15:20):
on the charity runners. And fine, look down your nose
all you want, just remember we've helped a lot of
people so that we can run that race, all right.
When I did it in twenty twenty three, run for
the Boston Athletic Association charity helping kids in inner city
Boston live healthier, be healthier. Again, I understand that doesn't
resonate to a keen of city crop, but I did
(15:42):
reach the funds through the grace and the kindness of
friends and family and a few listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
We did it. But it was seventy five hundred dollars.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Now you can't get into Boston, I don't think for
less than twelve thousand dollars. So it has gone up.
It has gone up a lot. But but the thing
to really focus on is not the dollar amount and
not the holy crap you make them raise so much
money so you can run this race.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
It is doing good.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
It is going back into the community or to the
hospital or to the whatever it is you're running Boston for.
Just try and keep that in mind, because I know
the price tag is huge, and as people outside the
air of Boston, it's like, well, I'm never gonna see
any good from this, but.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
It is doing good.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
So that's just something I hope we can kind of
keep in mind as we look at charity bibs for
Boston as ninety percent, if that's fair, ninety percent of
the people listening to this podcast or are never going
to time qualify for Boston, of which I'm one, I'm
right here first and foremost. I am never time qualifying
for Boston. Well, you might get it when you're eighty.
I'm not gonna make it to eighty.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
So I'm never going to qualify for Boston.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
But I was able to get in on a charity bib,
and I will always be grateful to everyone who supported me.
And then I will never ever, ever ever ask you
to do it again, and I haven't and I'm not
going to no matter what happens with London. The way
I get in, however I get in, Hooker Crook, It's
not going to be through a charity bib where I
ask all of you to help me again. Boston was
once in a lifetime and it's good that brings us
(17:09):
to The London Marathon started in nineteen eighty one. Participants
are often between forty thousand and fifty thousand. I think
now they've actually crossed over fifty thousand, So they're running
a huge race over there. It is one of the
fastest courses, they say, and a massive charity fundraising machine.
(17:29):
And I get that because it's a bigger field than Boston.
You so you would think there's more charity runners. They
have from as long as I've looked, Their charity bibs
cost over ten thousand dollars and it's been that way
since I started researching this stuff so for years. So
they raise more money and it's a very in demand race.
So looking ahead at Sydney and looking at London, London
(17:52):
Lottery Sydney Lottery, Sydney Lottery had over one hundred and
twenty three thousand people enter their name in the lottery.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
I did the math.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I had a twenty four percent chance of being chosen
for the Sydney lottery. For the Sydney Marathon lottery, okay,
great if you go over to London. London with a
bigger field. Because Sydney's field is about thirty thousand, London's
field can be up to fifty thousand. They had one
point two million people drop their name trying to get
into the London Marathon.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I did the math. Even though I didn't make it.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
You had a four percent chance of making the London
Marathon in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Well, I mean sorry, twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
The lottery is already done for twenty twenty five people
who know who's running twenty twenty six. I am not
one of them, which is probably good because three international
trips I guarantee is not happening. But you have a
much smaller chance of getting in through the lottery into
London then you did something like Sydney. It is a
very in demand race. And then they of course run
along the most iconic parts of the city. You've got
(18:48):
Big Ben, you've got the Thames River, and you know
et cetera, et cetera, and you see so many people
running in costumes. Running in costume is a big thing
for the London Marathon. Don't ask me why. The Berlin
Marathon that we did back in twenty twenty four started
in nineteen seventy four, so in twenty twenty four when
I did it, it was their fiftieth and that was
really cool to be a part of that. And the
year that I did it, they had fifty four thousand,
(19:09):
two hundred and eighty finishers from one hundred and sixty
different countries, so it was huge and I tell people
that's the only race I've ever done. We're from start
to finish, you were smushed. There was never a point
you're just running free and you're out there by yourself
and there's no one with an armshot of you. No
you could reach out and touch someone. One hundred percent
(19:31):
of every step and every mile, every kilometer of that race,
you were never without reach of another runner. It was
just that full with that many people on those roads.
It was wild, but super excited to do it. And
Berlin was an amazing experience. Honestly, if Berlin had been
a bad experience for me, as my first international race.
(19:52):
I would not have continued on the six Star journey.
If Berlin had been a bad experience, I would have said,
you know what, London, Tokyo and now Sydney. Man, I
didn't have a good time, I'm not really going to
keep chasing this because of such a sour experience. No,
Berlin was amazing. It was a wonderful experience, and that
has invigorated me to continue on the process. Go to Tokyo,
go to Sydney, go to London, get these races done,
(20:14):
and then try and see a few things while I'm there.
So again, fortunate, very very fortunate to be in that position.
But Berlin definitely helped with that, and so with they say,
why it matters if you're chasing time, Berlin is the target.
Berlin is definitely one of the faster of the courses.
I don't know which is flatter, Berlin or Chicago, but
(20:35):
I found Berlin to be an easier course until you
hit the cobblestone streets if you are already hurting, if
your feet hurt, and I was having right foot issue
for my Berlin marathon. When you hit that cobblestone, man,
it felt like my foot exploded and that was not fun.
It took a while to recover from that. Twice I
had to stop and kind of take my shoes off
or assume my right shoe and like work out my
foot and try and get.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
It figured out. I struggle.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
I rode the struggle bus a little bit in Berlin
and I was still just three minutes off of a
pr It's an easy course. The next one is the
Chicago Marathon, so that began in nineteen seventy seven. The
participant field is often forty five to fifty thousand runners.
Another big one. It is a flat course fast. They
do the Age World Age Group World Championship Qualifier, which
(21:19):
is another thing that Abbott does. Again will never pertain
to me, but that's one of the big races for Chicago.
It is kind of a secondary contest on top of
the contest. If you're not any who cares not in it.
So I don't really care. It is really like the
most accessible US city for everyone to do that race,
(21:40):
and so I know a lot of first timers try
and get into Chicago because it's an easy course.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
For me, it's a drive.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
It's an eight hour or less drive from Kansas City,
to Chicago, so you don't even really to fly in,
but you know, center the country easy for everyone to
get into. I am willing to venture a guess it
is not the largest race for international feel. I think
that will probably belonged to London or Berlin or maybe even.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Tokyo, New York.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Possibly Boston, No, because of qualifying standards. And then Chicago no,
just because I didn't get a big international feel when
I was there in twenty eighteen. It seemed like it
was a lot of American runners running an American race.
And again, I'm sure they're internationals there. Of course there
was like no duh, But I think those European races
probably have more people from around the globe going to them.
(22:28):
And again that's just my guess, not based in any fact.
But Bank of America in Chicago Marathon again for my
first world marathon major, it was a fun experience. I
struggled go figure twenty eighteen. I was not in the
best shape ever. Came across a runner who was struggling
more than me, so we finished the race together, even
though it was like dragging a boulder behind me trying
(22:48):
to keep her from quitting, and like nope, come on, nope,
we're going to the finish. No, no, you're not gonna
uber out of here. Come on, nope, here we go out,
let's go. It was trying to be kind and it
cost me a little bit. So Chicago is I definitely
want redemption on someday. I hope to go back to
Chicago because again for me, it's easy to get to,
it's not a difficult travel. And then brother in law
(23:08):
the pack lives there, so i'd have a place to
stay and I don't have to pay Bookoo bucks for
a hotel room in Chicago, because boy, how doy they
jack up those prices?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
My lower anyway, all right.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
The New York City Marathon first held in nineteen seventy.
It became the world's largest marathon participants in between or
around fifty thousand. There were fifty four hundred two finishers
in twenty twenty three, so a little bit after I
did it, I did it in twenty twenty one. It
is the Five Boroughs. It ends in Central Park. The
crowd of nearly two million spectators. So if you're wondering
(23:43):
why away say the environment in the atmosphere was electric,
it's because there were two million people lining that course,
and again I did it in twenty twenty one. We
were talking reduced field because of the coronavirus and then
reduced crowd support because of the coronavirus. But to those
who came out, they still up a long, forever lasting impression.
(24:03):
And I didn't even get to run it at full capacity.
I want to run it at full capacity in New York.
Sydney Marathon another one that I definitely want to go
back to. And they call this one the global Marathon,
your culture, size and experience. I get that, and I
agree with all of those things. Sorry, I think I
was just shaking my screen a little bit. Apologies on that.
And then lastly we have the Sydney Marathon. So now
(24:24):
the TCS Sidney Marathon newly added, its first running as
a major was in twenty twenty four. It's really what
they wanted to do was open up the Australian continent.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And now it brings in anyone who.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Already had the six, they're like, well crap, now I
got to try and get seven. Even though there's not
a new metal for it. It's not gonna do any
good for your metal wall. But again for the bragging
rights and for everything else they added Sydney. Now people
have to come and they got to try and get
back there and do that. And so that's kind of
where it is now. Look, I understand and I've seen this.
(24:58):
It's becoming a popular thing online right now. People are
getting on there and they are absolutely blasting the World
Marathon Majors. They just say, it's a rich it's a
reason for rich people to run. It's just a money grab.
It's not important. Having the six stars is an important.
Running majors is an important. There's a lot of hate
out there for the World Marathon Majors.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
And if you feel that way, super super great.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I'm not gonna tell you how to feel. I'm just
gonna tell you how I feel about it. I look
at it as the key to let's just call it
the Runners Hall of Fame, all right. Now, I get it.
You're saying, Kyle, that's stupid, that's ridiculous. You will never
be in the Runner's Hall of Fame. And you're probably
right what I kind of compare it to. And I'm
(25:44):
trying to choose my words carefully, So pardon me if
this seems a little slow.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
If you make it to a Hall of fame.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
In baseball, you have to build your Hall of Fame resume.
If you make it to the Hall of Fame. In basketball,
you have to build your Hall of Fame resume. You
have to build your legacy as an athlete. I see
this no differently.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Now.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Look, not everyone is Michael Jordan and not everyone is
Wayne Gretzky. There are very few of us, and not
any of us, are you lould Kip Choking. There are
many of us who have to build that Hall of
Fame resume. We don't just get in by being the
greatest ever. And that's what I think the world marathon
majors are. I am building my Hall of Fame running
legacy by having these races, amongst others. But I feel
(26:30):
like you can't really make it into the baseball Hall
of Fame if you didn't meet certain benchmarks. If you
are a below average fielder, you weren't.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Going to make it into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
If you had below average RBI totals, You're not gonna
make it into the Hall of Fame. You have to
hit certain benchmarks to make it into a Hall of
Fame of any capacity. I feel like the world marathon
major six now seven are benchmarks to make it into basically,
and again this is in my own mind, but the
quote unquot quote Runners Hall of Fame. I want to
(27:02):
be in that. I want to feel as though I
put forth the best career that I could in running,
because someday it will be over and I want to
be able to look and say, you know what I
have done all these things. I have done the World
marathon majors. I have done the biggest finisher medal in
North America with Little Rock. I have done the marathon
(27:22):
of my hometown in Kansas City. I have done you know,
I want to hopefully someday due a race in Alaska.
I have done Alaska. I want to do the Dopey Challenge.
I have done the dopey kind of a thing. I
am building the resume. There's a bird outside momento.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I'm building my.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Running resume for this completely make believe and completely unreal
Runners Hall of Fame. And if that is not important
to you, it is not important for you to have
the World Marathon Majors or even to pretend like you're
building your resume for Runners Hall of Fame, well thenya,
you don't have to give a crap about these. What
I simply suggest is don't tear it down for others.
(27:59):
And that's wherever is gone. It's oh, it's only for
rich runners. I'm not a rich runner, all right. We
have made many, many sacrifices around the house. And credit
to missus back of the Pack podcast, who puts up
with my nonsense. We have made many sacrifices to do
the things that we have done so that I can
have these experiences, I can bring them to you. I'm
fortunate enough I can talk to you guys about them.
(28:20):
But we have sacrificed in order to do these things.
And if you ask any Hall of Famer, they will
say they had to sacrifice xyz to accomplish ABC. That's
where I see it as. And if it's not important
to you, super great, But don't crap on the people.
It is important to It is important to me. Why
(28:42):
because the running world said these were the big races.
These are what are recognized as the elite races, as
the biggest races, as the most important races. Now, trust me,
if they had said, okay, world, the most important race
on God's green Earth is rexy run in Lawrence Kansas. Okay,
well then I'd be doing that one too, And I
do do that one because it's important to me. But
(29:05):
you know, this is what is recognized universally through the
run community as the biggest racist. So this is what
I want to do. This is how I have chosen
to build my resume, to leave a lasting impression someday
that meals maybe my kids look back on and say, Wow,
my dad did some shit, or you know it's recognized somewhere. Hey,
(29:25):
you remember that guy that used to do the back
in the Back podcast? You know how any races that
ADI had actually ran things like that. You can call
it an ego stroke if you want to. You can
call it misguided. I call it whatever you want. This
is how I see it. So, yes, I pursue the
World Marathon majors. I think they are important. They are
important to me for the lasting impression of my running legacy,
(29:45):
whatever that may or may not be. So if you disagree,
super great, let me know. If you agree, super great,
let me know. I'm easy either way. Just I caution
again last time I'll say it. Don't crap on the
people that it is important to. It's not important to you. Great,
I support in whatever is important to your running journey.
This is important to me, and it's important to a
lot of other people. It is not just rich people
(30:08):
running rich races. I wish that were the case, because
I would love to identify as a rich person.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I do not. But it's been super fun. I'll give
you that.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
It has been a great experience one I'm very happy
to be in.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
The midst of.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I've seen amazing things, I've done amazing things. I've sacrificed
a lot to get there, but I've enjoyed every step
four steps so far of the World Marathon major journey,
and I will enjoy every step I take in Tokyo
in March, and then hopefully i'll enjoy every step in Sydney,
and then when I get to London, trust me, you're
(30:42):
gonna hear about it because that will be the completion
of this journey. And I've said before probably my retirement
from full marathon running after London because these knees aren't
getting any better. But anyway, that's where we're gonna leave it.
So next weekend we are in Lincoln, Nebraska for Good Life,
So come and see me at the expoll. I'll see
you on race morning. We're going to Lincoln. We're gonna
(31:05):
have a good old time. It's gonna be fun, and
then we'll talk about it next week Friday on Back
of the Pack Podcast, Second Win, we're gonna start our
November series, so make sure you tune into that. And
other than that, we're just going to keep on keeping on.
We are now race packed all the way up until
basically Christmas, so a lot of race reviews to do.
So that's gonna do it for this week's episode of
the Back of the Pack Podcast. I'd love your feedback
(31:26):
if you want to get it. I'm your host, Kyle Walker.
Is my pleasure. As always, everyone, have a safe week
of training and we will see you this weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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