NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer On The Post-Pandemic Running Boom's Effect On Demands For Races, Transforming Communities
"I think anyone who has run, who has made running a part of their life, knows that it really does transform us as people. No matter what it is that we want to accomplish in life, we think that it makes everybody better by creating that habit of being physically active, moving your body, whether it's physical health or mental health. So we're hoping that this new way of talking about our mission and what we do will draw more people into the sport, into our community, and get people moving." My guest for this episode is NYRR Rob Simmelkjaer, who also has a podcast of his own – Set The Pace. We’re at a point where we’ve got his boom happening. More than ever before, people are getting into running, joining clubs/crews/teams/training groups. NYRR puts on countless events in the city. I’m biased and think it’s got the best running community in the world. So let’s take a look at the state of running and how someone like Rob and NYRR are striking that balance to accommodate so many people. Plus, we touch on his experience as an executive at ESPN and on-air talent at NBC has helped with the storytelling side to bridge the gap between the everyday runner and the elites. Time Stamps: 3:51 - Sharing about his recent half marathon performance. 4:53 - His first two years leading NYRR as the CEO. 6:54 - What Global Running Day means to NYRR + upcoming NYRR events. 9:38 - How NYRR decided on their mission statement. 12:20 - What he hopes to accomplish as CEO of NYRR + core pillars of NYRR’s mission. 16:17 - The direction he hopes to steer NYRR towards. 18:47 - How working at ESPN and NBC Sports helped prepare him for his role at NYRR. 22:27 - His thoughts on how to bridge the gap between elite runners and everyday runners in the running community. 25:46 - How he got into the sport of running. 28:34 - How working for NYRR rekindled his love for running. 31:05 - Thoughts on how to continue growing the running community. 33:22 - The role of running groups in helping grow the sport. 38:56 - More thoughts on the role of running groups in growing the running community. 41:27 - Rapid fire NYC-related questions SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🍊 OLIPOP: Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) 🩴 VELOUS: VELOUS RECOVERY FOOTWEAR is the active recovery footwear brand that is designed to help you Restore, Revive and Reenergize before and after you train. We are excited to announce an upcoming collaboration with the team at VELOUS with their number one selling recovery sandal the Hoya adjustable Slide. Enjoy a 20% discount by entering the code: CITIUSMAG20 at checkout at VelousFootwear.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
5 Kesä 202447min
This Week In Track And Field: World Athletics Ultimate Championship Coming In 2026; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Returns To 400m Hurdles, Oblique Seville Beats Noah Lyles In Jamaica + More Results
Recapping all of the biggest results from the Edwin Moses Legends Meet, Oslo Diamond League, Stockholm Diamond League and Racers Grand Prix. Highlights and Topics Include: – World Athletics officially announced the 2026 global championship that they’ve been teasing for a while. It will be called the World Athletics Ultimate Championship and is offering up $10M in prize money with $150,000 going to the winners of each respective event. Think of it as a more compact World Championships – semis and finals for the track events / straight finals for the field events with more money and over less days. The inaugural version of the championships will be three evening sessions from Sept. 11 through Sept. 13, 2026 in Budapest. It will be every two years after that. Read more here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/world-athletics-ultimate-championship-2026-what-you-need-to-know – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is back over hurdles and looks like she never left with the easiest-looking 52.70 in Atlanta. Anderson was on-site and will give us a report of what he took away from the meet. Read more here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/bobby-kersee-explains-why-sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-doesnt-race-more – The Oslo and Stockholm Diamond Leagues took place so we also got to see Femke Bol open up with a 53.07. Mondo Duplantis gave his world record a scare again. Jakob Ingebrigtsen dove for the win in 3:29.74. The ageless wonder of Hagos Gebriwhet went 12:36.73. Shericka Jackson started looking like herself a bit more with a win in Stockholm. Oslo Takeaways: https://citiusmag.com/articles/bislett-games-oslo-diamond-league-recap-2024 Stockholm Takeaways: https://citiusmag.com/articles/stockholm-diamond-league-2024-recap-analysis – Over in Jamaica, we finally got the hot times to the 100m that we’ve been hoping for. Julien Alfred went 10.78, which is the fastest time by a pro this year. Extra fireworks on the men’s side as Jamaica’s Oblique Seville took down world champion Noah Lyles 10.82 to 10.85. This is getting good. Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Host: Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🍊 OLIPOP: This Barbie has great gut health! Introducing Barbie: Peaches & Cream flavor, the newest addition to Olipop’s lineup, guaranteed to make your summer sparkle brighter than ever before. But hurry, this limited-time treat won’t stick around for long! Inspired by the iconic Peaches & Cream Barbie doll's 65th anniversary, this soda is a refreshing homage to '80s nostalgia. Crafted with real peach juice, rich vanilla, and a hint of white peach gummy flavor, each sip is a trip down memory lane. Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
3 Kesä 20241h 7min
Kate Grace's Comeback From Long COVID, Having A Baby, Injuries And Becoming Self-Coached To Give Herself A Shot At The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
"I basically started my comeback then and said, let's try to get as much fitness as we can until October. I had this whole theory. You know how Norwegian threshold training is so ‘in’? I was like, this basically is threshold training because the only thing [the doctors] tell you is, ‘don't get your heart rate over 85%.’ So I was like, ‘I'm just the pregnant Jakob.’ I'm glad I kind of tempered it. I didn't actually do double threshold, but we did a lot of threshold work… My theme was like, ‘Well, I would never in my career otherwise have two years to do threshold training, so why not now?’" Kate Grace is in the midst of what most mid-30-somethings with a young child could only dream of – a late-career resurgence as a professional athlete. After a 2021 outdoor campaign that saw her go on a sub-two tear across the Diamond League circuit after just missing an Olympic team, Grace’s training and racing was derailed by a bout of injury and long Covid. She then became a mother, giving birth to her son in March of 2023. But now, here we are in May of 2024 and she’s got a fighter’s chance at an Olympic berth in the 800m once again. Grace joined the podcast to talk about the past three years of her life, the ups, the downs, and her unique take on training at the moment. It’s always fun to hear about an athlete who is taking a different approach to the sport, and it’s even more enjoyable when that athlete is so candid in discussing their experimentations with training. Time stamps: 4:45 - What’s kept her in the sport for so long. 6:28 - Why she took a break from competing and the reasons she returned to it. 8:24 - How she dealt with long COVID + how she trained throughout her pregnancy. 15:01 - How she’s approaching training + her mindset heading into the rest of the season. 17:50 - Reflecting on her 800m opener at the LA Grand Prix. 19:56 - Why she’s going all-in on training for the 800m 21:54 - Her perspective on how the women’s 800m scene has evolved. 23:09 - Her 800m racing strategy. 24:54 - Unpacking her experience training with Team Boss and Joe Bosshard + her experience coaching herself. 28:48 - What a typical week of training looks like for her. 31:04 - Sharing her experience with “The Track Club” in Boulder. 32:27 - Where her next few races will be leading up to the U.S. Trials. 33:19 - Her interest in coaching. 34:40 - How long she intends to continue running professionally. 36:05 - How she wants the rest of her running career to unfold. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🏴 BANDIT RUNNING: Bandit's support of unsponsored track and field athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials is back with their Unsponsored Project. Last year, Bandit partnered with several athletes by supplying those athletes with custom, unbranded Bandit singlets to help them stand out and underscore their unsponsored status. If you're an athlete interested in support, reach out to Tim Rossi at timrossi@banditrunning.com BONUS: CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get 15% off their first order at https://banditrunning.com using CITIUS15. 🍊 OLIPOP: Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
29 Touko 202440min
This Week In Track And Field: Prefontaine Classic Sprints Recap | Sha'Carri Richardson Is The Gold Medal Favorite Right Now
Chris Chavez and Anderson Emerole chat it up on Memorial Day to bring you a recap of all the sprints + field events action that took place at the Prefontaine Classic. Among the highlights: – Sha'Carri Richardson took down a STACKED field at the Prefontaine Classic and puts any doubts about her early season form to rest with a decisive 10.83 victory in the women’s 100m. Richardson looked smooth while Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah struggled, finishing 9th in 11.30. – Joe Kovacs puts the world on alert with the first 23-meter throw of the season, launching a 23.13m effort in the final round of the men's shot put competition to set a new world lead. – Grant Holloway keeps his incredible 2024 going with a world-leading 13.03 victory in the 110m hurdles. USA puts 3 in front of Olympic champ Hansle Parchment with Daniel Roberts (13.13) and Freddie Crittenden (13.16) rounding out the top spots. – Christian Coleman runs his best 100m of the season, holding off Ferdinand Omanyala 9.95 to 9.98 to clock his best time of the season. + more highlights from the meet Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Host: Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🏴 BANDIT RUNNING: Bandit's support of unsponsored track and field athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials is back with their Unsponsored Project. Last year, Bandit partnered with several athletes by supplying those athletes with custom, unbranded Bandit singlets to help them stand out and underscore their unsponsored status. If you're an athlete interested in support, reach out to Tim Rossi at timrossi@banditrunning.com BONUS: CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get 15% off their first order at https://banditrunning.com using CITIUS15. 🍊 OLIPOP: This Barbie has great gut health! Introducing Barbie: Peaches & Cream flavor, the newest addition to Olipop’s lineup, guaranteed to make your summer sparkle brighter than ever before. But hurry, this limited-time treat won’t stick around for long! Inspired by the iconic Peaches & Cream Barbie doll's 65th anniversary, this soda is a refreshing homage to '80s nostalgia. Crafted with real peach juice, rich vanilla, and a hint of white peach gummy flavor, each sip is a trip down memory lane. Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
27 Touko 20241h 5min
Emergency Podcast: Prefontaine Classic Distance Recap | Josh Kerr Beats Jakob Inegrbigtsen In Epic Bowerman Mile Showdown
It was a race for the ages. The Prefontaine Classic Bowerman Mile delivered on the hype with 9 men breaking 3:50 and reigning World champ Josh Kerr taking down reigning Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen 3:45.34 to 3:45.60. No amount of trash talk can trump results, and Kerr has not lost to Ingebrigtsen since June of last year. Chris Chavez, Mac Fleet and Karen Lesiewicz had to record a podcast about it immediately after. We also talk about: – Keely Hodgkinson shows the world why she’s the one to watch in the women’s 800m, clocking a world leading 1:55.78 and defeating reigning World champ Mary Moraa. – Diribe Welteji clocks her fourth sub-4 of the season with a 3:53.75 victory in the 1500m, leading 6 athletes under 4 and holding off a hard-charging Jessica Hull (3:55.97, Australian record). – Elle St. Pierre keeps her incredible 2024 season rolling with a big 3:56.00 personal best in the 1500m, good for 3rd place. St. Pierre moves up from #6 to #2 on the U.S. all-time list. More takeaways from the 1500m. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🏴 BANDIT RUNNING: Bandit's support of unsponsored track and field athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials is back with their Unsponsored Project. Last year, Bandit partnered with several athletes by supplying those athletes with custom, unbranded Bandit singlets to help them stand out and underscore their unsponsored status. If you're an athlete interested in support, reach out to Tim Rossi at timrossi@banditrunning.com BONUS: CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get 15% off their first order at https://banditrunning.com using CITIUS15. 🍊 OLIPOP: This Barbie has great gut health! Introducing Barbie: Peaches & Cream flavor, the newest addition to Olipop’s lineup, guaranteed to make your summer sparkle brighter than ever before. But hurry, this limited-time treat won’t stick around for long! Inspired by the iconic Peaches & Cream Barbie doll's 65th anniversary, this soda is a refreshing homage to '80s nostalgia. Crafted with real peach juice, rich vanilla, and a hint of white peach gummy flavor, each sip is a trip down memory lane. Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
26 Touko 202443min
2024 Prefontaine Classic Pre-Race Show ft. Nikki Hiltz, Val Allman, Hobbs Kessler & Michael Johnson
LIVE from Eugene, Oregon! Chris Chavez and Karen Lesiewicz are on-stage at Hayward Field for the 2024 Prefontaine Classic. We'll be previewing some of the day's best races, chatting with some of the athletes and doing fun giveaways with fans. Our coverage kicks off with the Pre-Show on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel at 9:30 am PT on Saturday and 10 am PT on Sunday! Read our full preview of the meet here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/prefon... The TV window for Prefontaine is 4pm-6pm E.T. on Saturday, May 25 across NBC, CNBC and Peacock. Special thanks to TrackTown USA and the Prefontaine Classic meet organizers.
25 Touko 202459min
This Week In Track and Field: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone & Rai Benjamin Dominate At LA Grand Prix, Hope for Matt Centrowitz Fans, Noah Lyles Stars In Atlanta, Kenenisa Bekele Return To The Olympics
Another jam-packed weekend of results unpacked by Chris Chavez and Anderson Emerole. This Week In Track and Field – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Rai Benjamin Dominated At The LA Grand Prix – Noah Lyles ties the American record in the 150m at the Atlanta City Games + highlights – The Rabat Diamond League was a bit of a dud – Kenenisa Bekele Has Been Named To The Olympic Marathon Team For Ethiopia – What We’re Looking Forward To The Most At The Prefontaine Classic Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Host: Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🏴 BANDIT RUNNING: Bandit's support of unsponsored track and field athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials is back with their Unsponsored Project. Last year, Bandit partnered with several athletes by supplying those athletes with custom, unbranded Bandit singlets to help them stand out and underscore their unsponsored status. If you're an athlete interested in support, reach out to Tim Rossi at timrossi@banditrunning.com BONUS: CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get 15% off their first order at https://banditrunning.com using CITIUS15. 🍊 OLIPOP: This Barbie has great gut health! Introducing Barbie: Peaches & Cream flavor, the newest addition to Olipop’s lineup, guaranteed to make your summer sparkle brighter than ever before. But hurry, this limited-time treat won’t stick around for long! Inspired by the iconic Peaches & Cream Barbie doll's 65th anniversary, this soda is a refreshing homage to '80s nostalgia. Crafted with real peach juice, rich vanilla, and a hint of white peach gummy flavor, each sip is a trip down memory lane. Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
20 Touko 20241h 11min
Val Constien's Comeback From A Torn ACL To Return To The U.S. Olympic Steeplechase Conversation
"That Olympic stamp on my running resume didn't really change anything. That's why 2022 was so hard for me. I had built up these expectations and I felt that I still had to prove to myself because it seemed like it wasn't enough. That pressure didn't bode well for me. I suffered injuries and sickness...At the end of the day, World Championships and Olympics are just another race. If you're racing just to make the team, you're not going to be happy because someone else could get that spot. That's when I changed my mindset. I don't know if you've seen the show Fallout but in the first episode the ghoul says, 'I do this shit for the love of the game.' That's kind of how I feel." Val Constien is a professional runner for Nike and was a member of the 2021 Olympic team in the steeplechase. We had her on the show in the spring of 2021 and it was a memorable episode because she announced herself to the U.S. as a contender to make the team and then backed it up at the Trials. Following the Games, she remained unsponsored for more than a year. We talk about how Tokyo didn’t ultimately change a whole lot for her but her passion for the sport remained. She won the 2023 U.S. Indoor 3000m title and then signed a contract with Nike. However, in her first race in the pro kit, she tore her ACL at the Doha Diamond League and that 2023 season was a wrap. She underwent bilateral ACL reconstruction and thought maybe she wouldn’t race again until 2025. Things quickly changed and she accelerated through her recovery and is back to racing. In her first steeplechase race in a year, she went on to win the Sound Running Track Fest in 9:27.22. That’s her fastest steeple opener. She’s now back in the conversation to make the Olympic team in the steeplechase since it’s a bit wide open without Emma Coburn. I think you might find someone to root for in Val after this conversation. Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Val Constien | @valerieconstien on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 👟 NEW BALANCE: Discover the ultimate running shoe: Fresh Foam X 1080. With unbeatable comfort and top-tier performance, it's perfect for any occasion, from daily runs to races. Its innovative design includes Fresh Foam X midsole for seamless transitions and a breathable, supportive mesh upper. Visit NewBalance.com/Running 🏴 BANDIT RUNNING: Bandit's support of unsponsored track and field athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials is back with their Unsponsored Project. Last year, Bandit partnered with several athletes by supplying those athletes with custom, unbranded Bandit singlets to help them stand out and underscore their unsponsored status. If you're an athlete interested in support, reach out to Tim Rossi at timrossi@banditrunning.com BONUS: CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get 15% off their first order at https://banditrunning.com using CITIUS15. 🍊 OLIPOP: Order online today and use code CITIUS25 for 25% off your order at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
17 Touko 202446min
