00:00:00
Grant Fisher: I want to try the roads when I am at my prime. I want to do it to really see how good I can be. And there's a little bit of risk in that, and I want to give myself a real shot, a real test. And I think looking back in 30 years, I'll be happy that, hey, I found out how good I could be.
00:00:22
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey, everybody, and welcome to Set the Pace, the official podcast of New York Road Runners presented by Peloton. I'm your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Road Runners here in my home in Connecticut. You can see the wintry background behind me. This is not my usual spot for recording, but I'm up here today. And this is just what we're all experiencing right now in the Northeast in New York is winter, a kind of winter that we have not had in a long time.
I heard a stat someone shared with me the other day. I'm recording this on Tuesday, February 3rd. And as of now, there hasn't been a high temperature above freezing in New York for, I think, 11 or 12 days. And that hasn't happened since 1958, according to the article I read, which is crazy. And if you look ahead for the next few days, it still does not look like it's going to go above freezing anytime soon. And that's rough. That is rough for the runners. It has been rough for us at New York Road Runners.
All of you know if you're in the New York area and sign up to run races, we have had to cancel races for two straight weeks. We canceled the Fred LeBeau Half because of the snowstorm we had. And then unfortunately, we had to cancel the Manhattan 10K last Sunday as well, just because of the extreme cold temperatures. At race time, the windshield was about 10 below. And while runners can probably pull that off, we know that we can run if we've got all the right gear in some pretty cold temperatures. It's not so doable for our staff, for our volunteers.
People don't know. Our staff gets out to start setting up for these races at about 1: 00 or 2:00 in the morning. They're setting up tents, they're setting up water stations, all the infrastructure at our start and our finish lines. It's a very early morning wake up call for our staff. And unfortunately, that's a big part of what we have to take into account when we make these decisions about weather is not just can the runners handle it, but can our staff handle it? Can our volunteers who are not running? They're standing around. They're manning water stations and various spots along the course, and they can be out there for many, many hours as well. So, unfortunately, had to make that call.
We've got the Gridiron 4- Miler with FLAG Art as our partner coming up this Sunday, the day of the big game, as they say. And we're still waiting to see how that goes as I record this on Tuesday. So, no call to be made yet. But if you look at the weather forecast, it looks like more extreme cold here in New York. So, we need a break. That's all I can say. And hopefully, we get one pretty soon from this weather.
Well, this is a very special week here at New York Road Runners. As I record this episode on Tuesday, we are announcing the official kickoff of our yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough New York City Marathon. And why are we making a big deal of this? There was, many of you know, a 50th anniversary of the marathon back in 2021, and this is the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough Marathon. The first time that they ran from Staten Island to Central Park was back in 1976.
And we're making a big deal of this for a couple of reasons. First of all, this really is the marathon. When you think about what makes the TCS New York City Marathon the best day of the year in New York, why people love it, why it occupies such a special place in New York? It's because of the fact that it runs through the neighborhoods of all five boroughs of this city and that it gives people, whether they're from New York or from anywhere around the world, this incredible tour of our city and this incredible connection with all New Yorkers, two million plus, who come out to watch this race. That is the New York City Marathon, and that is really an anniversary that is worth celebrating.
Also, facts are, back in 2021, the abbreviation was cut short for New York Road Runners because of COVID. That race was only half of its normal size. So, we're really excited to make a big, big deal of this anniversary this year. Applications for the drawing for this year's marathon opened at noon Eastern time on Wednesday, February 4th. They stay open through February 25th, so you've got plenty of time to apply for that. And a very big thing that we're excited about for this year's marathon, we are celebrating this milestone by looking to reach another milestone, and that is hitting $ 100 million raised for charities here in New York City and all around the world this year in the marathon.
That would be an all- time record for the New York City Marathon. We will have 670 official charity partners in 2026. In '25, those partners raised about $ 80 million. So, we're looking for a big 25% increase in our charity fundraising to hit that $ 100 million mark for the first time ever. We're really excited about that. And by the way, it's not just for people who get into the marathon through a charity. Even if you get in some other way through Nine Plus One or maybe you're a time qualifier, you can still raise money for a charity and be a part of helping New York Road Runners and our city hit that $ 100 million goal. You'll learn more about that as we get through that registration period and the period for you to do your guaranteed entry. So, there'll be more on that.
But we want everybody to get involved in raising money for great causes all around New York and beyond. One of the causes, of course, that we're raising money for through the marathon is our own Team for Kids. Team for Kids has raised more than $ 136 million for our youth and community programs here at New York Road Runners since 2002, including more than 11 million in last year's marathon. We're looking to set a record there as well so we can do even more big things at Road Runners when it comes to getting youth and adults in our city and beyond moving and healthier and achieving all the things that we try to achieve here and what we call our mission, creating healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. So, that will be a big deal this year.
We're also going to have another year of our team for climate fundraising team. Last year, that team, which did an amazing job, they raised more than $1.6 million, which completely offset the emissions for the New York City Marathon last year. And we're looking for more folks to come and be a part of Team for Climate as we look to achieve our goal of reaching net zero for the marathon and all of our operations here at New York Road Runners. So, you'll see ways to sign up for that as well.
And on the para- athletic side, qualifying athletes will have the ability to select from five additional para- athletics categories this year when applying for the drawing. So, if you are an athlete with special needs, disabilities, take a look at those categories because we've got a lot more specificity in terms of what you can sign up for and the assistance that New York Road Runners and our partners can provide for you to get you moving as well. That's a big priority for us for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. So, we are very, very excited about this year, and you'll be hearing a lot as the year goes on about how we're going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough New York City Marathon.
Well, despite the weather in New York, there was running this past weekend indoors at the Millrose Games uptown at the Armory. I was there along with a lot of our partners and friends at New York Road Runners. We are a sponsor of the Millrose Games and the Wanamaker Mile, in fact. So, we were thrilled to be there. And it was a great day. I was there. I was there on the earlier side. We had a youth race that took place both on the boys' and the girls' sides, an 800- meter race that our rising New York Road Runners kids were a part of. It was awesome to get a chance to hold the tape for those races.
And I hung around for a lot of the day. But the end of the day is, of course, where all the excitement happens. And we were thrilled to see a former guest and a friend of New York Road Runners, Nikki Hiltz come through with a win in the Wanamaker Mile for the very first time. Nikki wins it with a time of 4 minutes, 19 seconds 0. 64, a great, great milestone for them as they win this iconic race. And it was really exciting to see Nikki cross that finish line in first place. I know how much it meant to them to get that win and what is really the premier indoor mile event, certainly in the United States, maybe in the world, so much history, a legendary event.
Then on the men's side, it was a big upset as our friend Yared Nuguse, who was a three- time winner, defending champion. You might remember, he set the indoor world record at Millrose last year, a record that didn't stand for very long, only a few days before it was broken by Ingebrigtsen over in Europe. But it was 19- year- old Cam Myers coming up with a big upset in that race to win it. He was the youngest Wanamaker Mile winner ever with a time of 3: 47.57, so a huge win for the Australian, Cam Myers, and certainly was exciting to watch that happen as he surged across the finish line ahead of Yared Nuguse.
And then on the men's 2- mile side, that was a much anticipated race this year because of course, Grant Fisher, who we'll talk about in a second, was featured in that race along with Olympic gold medalist, Cole Hocker. Well, it was Hocker who won in that stacked field with a time of 8: 07. 31, big win for Cole Hocker who's gotten used to some big wins in his career. Now, our friend, Grant Fisher, who is our featured guest today, and we recorded a live interview with Grant last Thursday, January 30th, as part of our TCS New York City Marathon Partner Forum.
Unfortunately, Grant caught a bug, wasn't feeling great, and on the morning of the race, let everybody know he was not going to make it to the starting line. Of course, that was disappointing for so many people who are excited to see Grant run in New York. So, he pulled out and that happens. He was in New York preparing for the Millrose Games. And of course, we're excited at New York Road Runners because Grant is also set to run the United Airlines NYC Half in March. We talked a lot about that in the interview that you're going to hear in just a little while, but he just ended up scratching. And we know that can happen. We all have days where we wake up not feeling well.
There's a lot going around right now, but we're going to play the interview anyway, because what we spend a lot of time talking about with Grant in the interview is his general career and what he's been up to since Paris in 2024 when he had an incredible performance winning bronze in both the men's 5, 000 and men's 10, 000- meter events. So, we'll play that interview, talk a bit with Grant about what he's got planned, his first half marathon ever, which will be in March, as well as his ultimate goal, which is to get up to the marathon distance. And so, we'll talk about all that with Grant coming up.
But after that interview, we're actually going to bring on our coach, Ben Delaney, from New York Road Runners because we'll talk with Ben a little bit about what happened with Grant and the decision that he had to make. Of course, we don't know much about the details of Grant's illness. But listen, we all have days where maybe we're scheduled to run a race and we're just not feeling it. And so, we'll talk a little bit with Coach Ben about what runners can take away from an Olympian like Grant Fisher deciding to take a pass on a big race like that, which I'm sure had to be a really tough thing for him. He traveled all the way to New York. His fiance was in town as well. And so, it's tough for, I'm sure, for him to make a decision like that.
And so, what does that mean for you when you're not feeling your best and the decisions that maybe you should make to not run when you're 100%? That's all coming up as well, but stay tuned before that for a great live interview with Grant Fisher.
00:12:53
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00:13:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, this is a treat. We are here with a live audience at the TCS New York City Marathon Partner Forum. This is a gathering where we get all of our partners and sponsors together every year to talk about this year's marathon. And so, we're so excited to be joined with this great live audience here at the SUMMIT. We're at the SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt right in New York City, and we have an incredibly special guest joining us today. He is the fastest indoor 5K runner in the world, a two- time Olympic bronze medalist, and he's making his half marathon debut and road racing debut at the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half.
He is a runner with whom I am truly ... I'm in awe of him, simply. I watched him in Paris in both the 5K and the 10K, where he got bronze medals in both, the first American ever to do that. Please welcome Grant Fisher. Grant.
00:14:48
Grant Fisher: All right. Let's do it.
00:14:55
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, great to have you.
00:14:57
Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you, guys.
00:14:58
Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks for being here. I have to say, Grant, one of the awesome things about my job and about doing this podcast is every once in a while, I just get to meet someone who I'm truly in awe of. And I was just telling Christine Burke on our team that I remember exactly where I was watching you in 2024 in the 5, 000 and then again in the 10, 000. We had a little text chain going at New York Road Runners where we're following some of these distance races and to see you do what you did in those races, finishing on the podium, not once, but twice in these grueling events in Paris and taking out the American flag, doing your lap there, it was an incredible thing to see.
Here we are two years later and you're still doing incredible things on the track. But still, how do you look back on that time in your life and what it's meant for you to achieve what you did in Paris?
00:15:53
Grant Fisher: Oh, man. On the track when you grow up in the United States, the biggest thing you can do is go to the Olympics, represent your country and try your best. And when I was growing up, people didn't really think of Americans as people that could get on the podium very much, especially in the distance races. So, as I grew up a little bit, as professional running came on the table, as making an Olympic team came on the table, getting on the podium became an idea that I had and a goal that I had.
And you're right, you described it so well. When you cross that finish line, when you get your flag and you get to do your lap in front of 80, 000 people, there's no feeling like it. And then you get up on the podium and they put that medal around your neck and you're like, " Man, I have this forever. This is mine now. And I earned that." And it's stuff you'll never forget. Just such a good feeling. And it was equal parts relief, because I had a lot of pressure on myself that I had built up as it was just joy. Because that moment, it was one of those few moments in your life where you want to hang onto it because you know, you're going to think back to it so many times you'll never fully capture that emotion again, but just so much fun.
00:17:09
Rob Simmelkjaer: How has it changed your life as a runner and how has it changed your life off the track?
00:17:16
Grant Fisher: It certainly led to more attention off the track, which is a good thing. Track sometimes doesn't get the same recognition as the other big sports in the US, so I'll take everything we can get. On the track, there's certainly more pressure. There's a target on my back. I remember when I was first coming into the sport, if there was an Olympic medalist in the race, I wanted to beat them so bad. That was a good victory to have, even if they were way past their prime to beat an Olympic medalist would be super cool. So, now, I'm that guy with the target on my back. I like to think I'm pretty hard to beat in any distance, but it's certainly different. There's more pressure going into a race. There's expectations. You're a medalist for life, so those will hang with me forever.
00:17:59
Rob Simmelkjaer: You hardly stopped. You just kept going from 2024, doing amazing things outdoors and indoors. We're in the indoor season right now. And last year you did incredible things there. You broke world records in both the 3, 000 and the 5,000 meters. You just came from a tremendous meet in Boston as well where you broke another record, but ended up finishing second in the 2, 000 up there. So, how have you been able to take that success you had in Paris, the success you're having on the track outdoors and really bring that indoors to become one of the best in the world there as well?
00:18:36
Grant Fisher: I like to pride myself on being pretty versatile. And it's fun to try new things and new challenges and go after just something that's not always comfortable. Racing a 2K this past weekend was very uncomfortable. That's far from my specialty, far from what my training has primed me for, but wanted to get out there and race and mix it up with the best milers in the world. And it was really fun. I broke the world record, but lost the race somehow. Sometimes that happens.
00:19:04
Rob Simmelkjaer: When people are very fast and the track is fast. Shout out to our friends at New Balance, by the way, that was their track that you did that on.
00:19:12
Grant Fisher: Yeah.
00:19:12
Rob Simmelkjaer: When you break a world record and finish second, do you feel good or are you like, " How did that happen to me?"
00:19:19
Grant Fisher: It's bittersweet. It's like, " Man, it took a world record to beat me today. That's kind of crazy."
00:19:23
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty good.
00:19:24
Grant Fisher: I would have rather had that world record myself. It would have been pretty cool because I could have held the 2K, 3K and 5K world record simultaneously, which would have been pretty fun to have that range. But number two all- time is still pretty good.
00:19:38
Rob Simmelkjaer: And so, you'll be back on the track this weekend at the Millrose Games coming up on Sunday up at the Armory, and that's going to be a 3, 000- meter event, correct for you?
00:19:48
Grant Fisher: 2- mile.
00:19:49
Rob Simmelkjaer: 2 miles.
00:19:50
Grant Fisher: Almost the same.
00:19:50
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes, yes. It's tough to keep the meters and the miles correct. So, what are you looking to get out of that? Because right after that, not very long down the road, you'll be towing the line for your first ever half marathon at the United Airlines NYC Half. So, how do you go from running these shorter distances indoors to starting to train for your first ever road effort?
00:20:14
Grant Fisher: Yeah. It'll be a massive challenge and one that I'm excited for. I mentioned earlier that the sport is defined on the track at least by the Olympics. And in non- Olympic years, usually we have a world championship on the track, but we don't have that this year. So, I've got a lot more freedom to explore new things, take on a new challenge and see how it goes. So, yeah, I'm racing very short distances for me and I think I'm in pretty good shape for it to run pretty quick. The Millrose Race is Sunday, incredible field.
00:20:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a packed field. We should have Cole Hocker is running that, of course, the gold medalist from Paris, Josh Kerr, George Beamish. So, you dropped into a stacked field at the Millrose Games. What are you hoping to get from that?
00:21:00
Grant Fisher: I'm hoping to get a race out of it.
00:21:02
Rob Simmelkjaer: I think you'll get that.
00:21:04
Grant Fisher: Yeah. Last year, I went into that race wanting a competition, wanting a battle, and I found it with Cole. And we went back and forth head- to- head, and I ended up getting the best of him that time, and the time took care of itself. And now, I don't like looking too far past a race, but looking more forward to the United Airlines half, six weeks away, six and a half weeks away. I'm looking for a battle there, too. I think there'll be ... Well, everyone in that field pretty much will be more experienced on the road than me. Everyone in that field will have a better feel for fueling, for different race conditions, for hills. I'm used to a very controlled environment on the track, and I'm excited for all these new elements that I have to learn.
And so, going into that race, I think I do best when I try to win. I could easily have chosen to debut and a half marathon in a small, controlled setting. But I didn't want that. I wanted the excitement of a race, and I wanted to race guys that are way more experienced than me that ... I wanted that metric. I wanted that bar that I had to chase, and I think that'll be a perfect time for it.
00:22:19
Rob Simmelkjaer: By the way, we're going to take questions from the audience in a little while. So, start thinking of your questions for this incredible runner right now. So, have you started doing miles on the road yet? What's that process like for someone who's spent your entire career on the track to start getting ready for your first road race?
00:22:39
Grant Fisher: Yeah, I have. For track runners, the majority of our mileage is easy running, percentage- wise, and that is almost always on dirt roads or trails or paved roads. So, I'm already used to being on it for some, and then our race intensity stuff will be on the track, because that's where our race will be. So, I've started to shift over a little bit to some race intensity, well, more like half marathon race intensity onto the roads. And then once I'm done with Millrose Games this weekend, I'll really have to lock into that.
I'm already running a lot of mileage. I already do a lot of threshold work that is roughly half marathon goal pace. So, I'm used to that rhythm a little bit, but I will have to adjust to longer tempos. This past weekend, I ran a 2K. We ran about 57 high for each lap if you average it out. That's not super applicable to the half marathon. So, the sessions that prepared me for that might be 400- meter repeats. That will have to shift and transition to mile repeats, 2- mile repeats, 3- mile repeats, much longer tempos. Yeah.
00:23:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah.
00:23:48
Grant Fisher: So, I think my background being a 5K, 10K specialist will do well in the transition, but I will definitely have to change training to get ready.
00:23:59
Rob Simmelkjaer: Who have you talked to? I read that you've been in touch with some of the great American distance runners and American distance running on the road is in a really good place right now. Obviously, people like Connor Mantz, Clayton Young doing great things on the road at the half in the marathon distances. Who have you talked to? What kind of advice are you getting?
00:24:19
Grant Fisher: Actually, most of the guys I've talked to are the ones you just mentioned. I live in Park City, Utah, and those guys live in Provo, so very close. And I've spoken to Connor a few times about the half and any advice he has. And he's jokingly said, " Maybe you should wait a little longer before going to the roads." And Clayton's a great guy, too. Both of them are really elevating the game a lot in the US and Americans are fighting for podiums at majors now. That was not always the case when I was growing up. And it's a fun era to start to think about transitioning to the roads and putting my name in that realm and just seeing what I can do.
I think Connor's a fantastic athlete, really nice guy. And any chance I have racing him is really fun. We're actually the exact same age. We were the same high school class. He went on a two- year mission, but our ages are the exact same.
00:25:16
Rob Simmelkjaer: 28.
00:25:17
Grant Fisher: We're both 28.
00:25:17
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep.
00:25:18
Grant Fisher: So, it feels like he's been on the roads forever and I guess he has. He has more experience than me, but I think I can make up that gap. And I think if I can make my learning curve pretty sharp, I think I can be competitive pretty quickly.
00:25:32
Rob Simmelkjaer: The traditional path for a runner, a distance runner traditionally has been you spend as much time on the track as you can until you're really no longer able to win on the track. And then you start going out onto the road and unless you're someone like a Clayton or Connor who's pretty much rode all the way through. So, have you had people ask? And it sounds like you did get Connor, Clayton asking, why now? Why not wait a little longer to make that transition to the road? And so why now?
00:26:02
Grant Fisher: Yeah. There's two main reasons. One is that I want to try the roads when I am at my prime. I don't want to wait until I'm way over the hill and I have nothing left in my body and I'm just doing it just to say I ran a marathon. I want to do it to really see how good I can be. And there's a little bit of risk in that. Maybe I won't be as good as I was on the track, but maybe I'll be better. So, you never really know. And I want to give myself a real shot, a real test. And I think looking back in 30 years, I'll be happy that, hey, I found out how good I could be.
And the second reason is we have the Olympics coming up in 2028. So, home Olympics, the very iconic races at the Olympics are often the 100 meters, the mile and the marathon. And I don't see myself becoming 100- meter specialist anytime soon. So, the marathon is a compelling idea. This half coming up in March will be very informative on how quickly and how aggressively I want to transition more exclusively to the roads. There's been cases in the past of people doing a 10K marathon double at the Olympic Games. It's possible with the schedule that they release. So, that's kind of deep in the back of my mind.
It's a few years away, but when you work backwards and say, " Okay. If I want to run an Olympic marathon, I need to run the Olympic trials. If I want to run the Olympic trials, I should probably run a marathon before that." And if I want to do that, I should probably do a half before that. So, when you work backwards, the half in New York City coming up works out really well timing- wise. And yeah, it's an exciting space. It works out perfectly with my schedule where I can slot it in after indoor season, before outdoor season, and give an honest, really, really strong effort at it and see how it goes.
00:27:58
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, as we get set to watch you in March at the United Airlines NYC Half, what does success look like for you there? Is there a time you're thinking about? Is it winning the race or a podium finish? What are you thinking about?
00:28:14
Grant Fisher: The goal is not a time. The goal is ultimately kind of a feeling. It's a feeling of I put myself out there, I was competitive, I was in that front pack, and there's more to give. If I give a little more time to this, a little longer of a build, I see a future in it. If I'm in the race and I'm in that lead pack, I'm going to try to win. And that is my attitude going into any race is I'm going to try to win. If I come up short, it is what it is. But there's no worse feeling than finishing a race and not trying to do the big thing, try to win it, try to shoot for your big goal and finish with that feeling of, "Ah, I could have given a little bit more out there. I could have tried something different. I could have attacked with a mile to go. I could have attacked with 2 miles to go. I could have hung in there a little longer."
Those are just feelings as an athlete that you regret and I want to go in and feel like I gave everything. And so, it's more of a feeling that I'm looking for. And if I get that right, I think it'll be very encouraging for future on the roads.
00:29:19
Rob Simmelkjaer: Have you had a chance to check out the course much? It's a little different the last couple of years going over the Brooklyn Bridge instead of the Manhattan Bridge, which people seem to really like. What are your early impressions of the course?
00:29:33
Grant Fisher: Yeah. I like that it's a little less hilly than it was. For my first one, maybe at some point, the hills will be a strength. But without any data, any feedback, it's nice to have a little more comfortable flatter course. So, yeah, you go over some iconic landmarks. You go over the Brooklyn Bridge, you go through Times Square, you go through the park. These are things that people all over the world know, even if they're not runners, which is really cool. When to be somewhere where the city shuts down, a lot of my friends my age are really getting into running now. Even my friends that hated running when we were growing up, they're really getting into half marathons, full marathons. I'm actually in my friend group, one of the later ones to get into it.
00:30:18
Rob Simmelkjaer: Finally. What took you so long?
00:30:21
Grant Fisher: Well, some of my friends joke with me that they have a better half marathon PR than me. And it's true.
00:30:25
Rob Simmelkjaer: Not for long.
00:30:26
Grant Fisher: Yeah. But yeah, a lot of things lined up perfectly for this race. And I'm excited for it. The ups and downs, the turns, it'll be a little different. I'm so used to having the track where you look up and you see the lap counter. You see the time. I know what 400 meters feels like. It's always the exact same. This will be different. I'll be looking at landmarks more so. Say, " Okay. I'm in the park now. Okay. How should I feel? I'm making this last turn. Roughly that's 800 meters to go." It'll be different mentally having these ... The metrics will just be slightly different. And at the end of the day, every course is different. The weather will be different than last year.
00:31:11
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hopefully a little warmer than what we're dealing with right now in New York. Yeah.
00:31:15
Grant Fisher: Yep. And yeah, there's just so many different variables that it'll be fun to navigate it. And also, I'll be able to watch some of the best guys in the world navigate it as well. So, even if I get something wrong, I can follow these guys and make that learning curve really, really, really short. And I can see how they attack. I can see what they do when they're fatigued. I can see how they run in the pack. And if I just time trialed something on my own at a much smaller venue, I just wouldn't get that feedback. So, yeah, I think a lot of things line up and the course is going to be fun.
00:31:51
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's going to be a lot of fun to watch you out there. And talk about racing in New York as well. I mean, you're doing Millrose indoors. But to make your half marathon and your road racing debut here in this city, you're a Stanford guy, a California guy. So, coming out and doing your first road race on the East Coast, what are you looking forward to in terms of the New York experience you're going to get?
00:32:17
Grant Fisher: Sure. I mean, first of all, iconic city. Everyone in the world knows New York City. I've been out here to watch the full marathon twice. And both times I was in Harlem watching and great atmosphere. Super, super fun.
00:32:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep.
00:32:31
Grant Fisher: And you see that as a track guy and you feel that this different energy of a whole city coming together to appreciate running. Usually on the track, growing up, you might just have your family there. Even in college, you might have a couple more extended relatives and your friends, but you never really get a whole city coming together. So, that I'm really looking forward to. A couple of my friends have run New York before. I think long- term down the road, New York Full is certainly something that I want to do and get a taste of that world marathon major type atmosphere.
You don't get that in many half marathons. Oftentimes, they're much smaller. Maybe the whole city doesn't shut down in the same way and you don't get as many people cheering. But the volume of this race, the fact that it's in New York, it's exciting, man. Really exciting.
00:33:26
Rob Simmelkjaer: As if the medals and the records and all of that isn't enough to make your life exciting, you just got engaged. Congratulations.
00:33:35
Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you. All right. That's the most claps I got all day. All right. Sweet. Always works.
00:33:42
Rob Simmelkjaer: A fellow Stanford alum as well, right?
00:33:44
Grant Fisher: That's right. Yeah. Sarah, my fiance ran track at Stanford. We met in college. She ran the 800. I ran the 5K. And yeah, I'm really excited. I'll probably get married in 2027. My sister's getting married this year, so I got to give her the glory this year. But that'll be really exciting. She's going to come out for the half in ... month and a half and is really excited. Her family's from the East Coast, so I'll have a lot of her side of the family come out and watch. And some of them are into track and enjoy it. Some of them don't understand running in general at all. So, it'll be fun to show them this huge event and say, " This is what I do. It's not just a hobby. I swear pro- running's a thing."
00:34:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: I have a real job.
00:34:33
Grant Fisher: Yeah, yeah.
00:34:34
Rob Simmelkjaer: Do you guys talk a lot about running when you're together? Are you getting advice, giving each other advice on how to approach races?
00:34:43
Grant Fisher: I actually try to separate it a little bit. I like that Sarah and I's relationship is not running- focused. It's nice because a lot of my life does revolve around the sport. A lot of my decisions revolve around optimizing my training. And it's nice to be at home with someone that understands what I'm saying, understands the pressures that I'm going through, understands the demands of training, but is there for me.
I think ultimately, I hope Sarah loves me because I'm me and not because I'm a runner. And I know deep down she does. And I feel that way about my family, too. My family appreciates the sport and understands it. But it's nice, especially when you're in high stakes situation, knowing that the people around you are there no matter what. Whether I'm running well or I'm running poorly, they've always been there. And so, I feel that way about Sarah. I feel that way about my family. And yeah, a lot of my life is the sport, so it's nice to have that separation.
00:35:49
Rob Simmelkjaer: Something else that is interesting about you, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised as a Stanford guy that you don't have an agent. You represent yourself. You go out and you do your own deals, sponsorship, things like that. I don't meet too many people in the industry who don't have representation. What was the thinking for you about just doing it yourself?
00:36:13
Grant Fisher: Yeah. When I came out of college, I had an agent and his name was Tom Ratcliffe, fantastic guy, really, really good agent. About a year and a half ago, I started thinking, " I think I could do some of this stuff myself." And I was looking forward to spending my time on something that wasn't entirely track- related, but in the sport. And it's been really fun. I've enjoyed it a lot. I feel like a different autonomy. I feel a different accountability in what I do.
And I know at the end of the day, no one will look out for me more than myself. And having these conversations with meet directors, with potential sponsors, my main sponsor is Nike. I have a fantastic relationship with sports marketing there. It's sometimes streamlined and I can be a little more honest and direct about what I'm looking for and what they're looking for, because I know that I'm looking out for my best interest.
And there's nothing against agents. I think agents are very important and helpful. But I was ready to see if I could do it myself and I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot of negotiation skills, a lot of business skills. There's things that I, just being an athlete, you're sheltered from, and it's fun to be at the negotiation table sometimes.
00:37:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: You got a few people in the room that could probably hire you at some point when you're running careers over. Sounds like you've got a pretty good sports marketing head in your shoulder, so it's good experience.
00:37:40
Grant Fisher: Yeah. It is good experience. As a pro- runner, you have a lot of free time. Even if you're training a lot, you're only training for three or four hours a day. So, in the context of a work week that you have a lot of free time. So, it's enjoyable to do that. Now, the one thing I don't enjoy is soliciting smaller deals. So, I do have someone do that for me.
00:38:04
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, you're not cold calling after a race, you're not just picking up the phone and, " Hey, I'm Grant Fisher, would you" ...
00:38:10
Grant Fisher: Exactly. I don't like doing that.
00:38:12
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah.
00:38:12
Grant Fisher: Yeah. So, my idea, and it's worked out pretty well, is the things I do like to do, the things I want to learn, I take care of that myself. The things I don't want to do, I outsource that.
00:38:23
Rob Simmelkjaer: Smart.
00:38:24
Grant Fisher: Yeah. Makes a lot of ... I should start doing that.
00:38:27
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a good strategy. So, what's the one New York thing you want to do? Maybe when the half comes and your fiance is here, is there a restaurant, a show, a place you like to shop? What's your favorite New York thing?
00:38:40
Grant Fisher: My favorite New York thing is probably just taking the subway around and being with locals. But my fiance is very excited to go dress shopping while she's out here. So, if you guys know any dress shops, just ...
00:38:50
Rob Simmelkjaer: Are we talking any dress or a certain type of dress?
00:38:53
Grant Fisher: Certain type of dress. Yeah. She told me she's going to the Say Yes To The Dress Shop, which I've never seen, but that's one of the places she's going.
00:39:01
Rob Simmelkjaer: That's a pretty good thing to do in New York.
00:39:02
Grant Fisher: So, yeah, she's doing that while she's out here. I'll be laying low before the race. But there's just like a buzz of being in New York. There's a chaos to it. There's an energy to it. People are here are just like a little more direct. It's kind of fun. I'm from a small town in the Midwest and it's very different than where I grew up. So, I enjoy coming here. I don't think like based on my personality, I don't think I could live here full- time. But coming here to race, it's just that perfect buzz, that perfect energy and you feed off of it. It's infectious.
00:39:35
Rob Simmelkjaer: We love it. Well, we're thrilled to have you here. We're going to open it up for some questions from the audience for two- time Olympic medalist, world record holder, Grant Fisher. Who's got a question out there for this amazing athlete? We got one here from our friend Jason from Citizens.
00:39:56
Jason: How has technology changed for you and changed how you track your performance?
00:40:04
Grant Fisher: It's changed a lot in the past several years. Specifically, watch technology has changed a lot. Heart rate monitoring technology has improved a lot. Lactate testing has improved a lot. Wearables in general have revolutionized training. People are paying attention to every metric possible. I think sometimes it's too much information. But I think in general, it's been a net positive. And when people are racing now, they're really paying attention to their data almost the way a cyclist might, where you know these zones, you know if you can hold this effort for a certain amount of time, you can make it to the finish line.
Before, people had to guess at that. You had to know your body well enough to get it right. I think now you have numbers to back up your feelings and that helps training a lot. It allows you to train harder, more frequently for longer, and you just get better adaptations long- term because of that. And then you have the shoes and the shoes have changed so much. Yes, they allow you to race a little better, but the main thing the shoes allow you to do is train harder without getting injured.
Technology in that has shifted a ton lately and there's a lot of regulations around footwear now. It's a little less of the wild west than it was maybe five years ago. Yeah. Technology has shifted people's perception a lot. And you see faster times. I think it's partially the shoes. It's partially that people are just able to ride that line for much longer because they have more data. They have a much better idea of sustainable effort that you can get everything out of yourself on race day and not get it wrong.
00:41:50
Jackie Siskind: I'm Jackie Siskind. I'm head of North America sponsorships for TCS. As you mentioned, you're going into the half a little bit blind without some data and feedback. Is this exciting for you? Is this unsettling? How are you feeling?
00:42:07
Grant Fisher: It's exciting. It's uncharted territory for me. I've never run a half. It's something that I think can be a little intimidating sometimes where I'm up against a world- class field in a month and a half. I don't have a marathon background where I'm used to the roads. I'm used to fueling. I'm used to the hills. I'm even used to an early start. Usually, in track, I'm racing at like 8: 00 p.m. So, this will be a much earlier start. So, a lot of variables that I'll have to navigate, but I think I've been able to express this.
I look forward to a challenge. I really like that feeling of not knowing if you're going to meet your goal, not knowing if something is going to go wrong. I think I have a lot of confidence in myself, not because I know the half marathon's going to go perfectly, but I know that I've had so many times where things have gone wrong and I've found a way to get it done, that no matter what happens out there in the lead up, in the race, that I'll find a way to get things done.
And that just comes with years of racing and training. It's the same sport, ultimately. You're trying to run a certain distance as fast as you can. And I think with a six- week build where I'm shifting my training a little bit, getting a little more specialized at the half marathon distance and effort, I'll be good to go. But you're right, it's unknown. But if you've ever gone after a goal that you believe is something that you want to do, deep down in your heart, you're into it, you find a way and I'm looking forward to those feelings.
00:43:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: I have another question over here. Yep.
00:43:53
Chris: Hi, Chris with Maurten Nutrition. So, my question revolves, so you have shoes, you have all the data, so bicarb or not bicarb, and have you noticed the effects?
00:44:04
Grant Fisher: Yeah. I use bicarb for my track races. And I think there is an effect, especially for the shorter stuff. For the longer stuff, maybe we can talk after this on the applicability for a half marathon or a marathon. With the bicarb, you come with GI concerns, and the longer the race, the bigger those concerns. So, yeah, I use it for all my track races now. Unsponsored, so I do that voluntarily. So, I do believe in the product. And for the half and the full, fueling in general, carb intake becomes really, really important.
I didn't mention that on the technology side, but that has changed a ton lately as well. Yeah. That's something that I need to get used to. I did a long run with Connor Mantz about maybe five months ago, and he was drinking out of the bottle and doing it smooth. And I was like choking it down, like gagging on the bottle. So, that's something I need to practice. For the half, it's a little less important to be able to get the fluids down. I'll almost certainly take at least a gel during the race and probably one beforehand. But yeah, that's another thing I'll have to navigate and learn. There's all these new dimensions and yeah, bicarb is something that I'll consider for the race.
00:45:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. We have another question over here. Hi.
00:45:34
Kristen Mackenzie: Hi, how are you? I'm Kristen Mckenzie from New Balance. Just curious if you have any superstitions before or after a race.
00:45:41
Grant Fisher: I have one and it's that I always tie my right shoe before my left. Kind of a random one. I've been doing that since I was a kid. It centers myself before a race and just like the routine of it, I think just grounds me a little bit and knowing that it's just a race. I've done this 100 times, probably more than that, probably 1, 000 times. And everyone laces up their shoes before a race. Everyone does the same thing. When the gun goes off, we're all the same. And it's just this ... It's more of like a centering thing than a superstition, I guess. And it's more of a routine than something that I'm actively thinking about, but that's my one.
00:46:24
Abigail: Hi, I'm Abigail with TCS. I was wondering if you've been reading anything to get you into a different head space as you mentally prep and think towards a longer distance.
00:46:39
Grant Fisher: A little bit. I try to learn from people that have done things that I want to do. So, speaking with guys like Connor and Clayton has been informative. Reading more articles or watching interviews, post- race interviews with people that race on the roads. It's been informative. If I can learn from their mistakes before I even start, that's impactful. More just generally reading, I guess like my New Year's resolution was to read 12 books this year and I'm on track right now. So, I've been doing a bit of reading.
But yeah, I think in general, like my personalities, I always have this learning mindset. I always want to learn something from what I'm doing. And I think for this half, I'm trying to absorb as much as I can from every media that I can, whether that's a conversation with a guy that's run a half before, whether that's an article I can read, whether that's me on Google Scholar looking at different research articles about different fueling strategies, sauna strategies, heat acclimation strategies, things like that. I always want to ideally learn without making the mistake. That's allowed me to level up quite quickly on the track and hopefully that'll allow me to level up quickly on the roads, too.
00:47:57
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Well, Grant, we are so thrilled to have you joining us this march for the United Airlines NYC Half. It's going to be a big moment for you in your career as a runner, your road debut. We wish you luck in New York at Millrose this weekend, too. Hopefully you have a great meet and we can't wait. Thanks for joining us today. Appreciate it.
00:48:17
Grant Fisher: Thanks, guys.
00:48:20
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. The support of members and donors like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and accessible running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate.
All right. Well, as promised, here to help us process what Road Runners members can learn from Grant Fisher and his career and also his scratch this past weekend, is New York Roadrunner's own coach, Ben Delaney, known to most of you as Coach Ben. What's up, Ben? How are you?
00:49:03
Ben Delaney: Good morning, Rob. Thank you so much for having me on. Grant's interview was amazing. Bummed he wasn't there at Millrose, but so looking forward to seeing him on the road March 15th at the United Airlines NYC Half. It's my favorite race on our calendar. I'll preach it to the mountaintops. I love that race and to know Grant's going to make his half marathon debut there even more special.
00:49:25
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It was great talking to him. I'm a huge fan of his and can't wait to see him back in New York as well. Ben, he talked a lot about not knowing how things are going to go sometimes when he races. I mean, this is someone who races for a living. This is his job and some days gets up, doesn't know how things are going to go. This weekend, got up and decided not to go at all. And so, what do you take from listening to a guy like Grant Fisher? Talk about that uncertainty that is always a part of this sport.
00:50:00
Ben Delaney: Yeah. I mean, I took away that he has to look at it very similar to how an everyday Hunter does. He has to make the best call for him. And I think sometimes it's hard. We put that bib on or we have that bib at home and we see a race coming up and we worked hard to get to that start line. The last thing we want to do is not get to that start line because ultimately, we want to get to that finish line as well. But I think sometimes you have to just step back and say, " Okay. Today is not my day. If I put that bib on and went for the race, would it be the race effort that I hoped? What could I learn from it?"
And then Grant really talked about that as well. He tries to learn from every moment he has and learns before he gets out there, so he has as much success. And sometimes that success, I think as hard as it is for some people is just to say, " Not today. I'm going to try again for tomorrow." That includes in your training as well as in your pacing. We have to be kind to our bodies. Our bodies give us so much, but I think we have to remember we have to give back and it's telling us stuff and we have to be willing to listen.
I think that's the hard part as runners is we don't always like what we hear. We have to listen to that because if we don't, we don't want to have something go wrong. And so, I think as granted on it, you have to listen to our body. The feedback loop is there. He talked about some data in the interview and the other side and it's like the data's there, the information's there. It's do we choose? And when we choose to listen to that, will that play into a larger success looking at macros, micros and mesocycles, the big picture sometimes, just step back and say, " You know what? I'm going to fight. I'm going to live to fight another day," as they say.
00:51:29
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It's interesting. We have access to a lot more data about our bodies than we used to. If we are wearing all the various devices and wearables that are out there, you've got the whoops of the world. Here I am with my aura ring on right now. And I'm still actually fairly new to wearing this ring. I don't quite always know what to make of what it tells me or whether to buy it or believe it. Sometimes it'll tell me I need to take it easy and I'm like, " Wait, I feel great today." Sometimes it's the opposite. It says, " Go, go, go big today." And I'm like, " I don't think so."
But what are some signs, whether it's data or just how you feel that runners might consider hearing when it comes to making a decision about whether to go or maybe whether to just take it easy?
00:52:18
Ben Delaney: It's funny, one of the jokes I make with a lot of our runners, whether it be for team for kids or for group training or anybody I see out there is, if our wearable device is telling us, " Your BO2 max is this, your trainee is peaking." You're just all on board. But when it says, " Your body battery was a little low or your sleep wasn't very good, take a rest day," you questioned it. And I think it's funny how runners like, " Oh, I believe what I want, what I want." And it's like, come on, if you believe it for one, you have to believe it for the other. It's not a if- then statement or, " Hey, it goes both ways."
And Grant talked about the feeling that he gets when he looks at the NYC Half, because there's so much unknown. And I think that's true when we look at our training and look at our running, there's a feeling that we have and you have to listen to your body and you'll know. I mean, you'll strap on your shoes. And Rob, you just touched on it. Some days you step outside and you're just like, " Ah. If you look at a red light, green light, yellow light concept, that's maybe that yellow light in terms of your training." Like, " Maybe today is either going to be a nice, easy day, maybe it'll be a run- walk day, maybe it'll just be a walk. Maybe I'm going to go back inside and sit on the couch today."
And that's fine too, because the feedback loop is there. I think Grant touched on that a lot is you have to balance it all, because everything is a learnable moment. It's a teachable moment. You have to have the mindset and the growth to know when it's okay to say, " Okay. Maybe today's not the speed workout I had planned. Let me just convert this to a time- based run. I'm just going to go run for 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back." I think that sometimes runners think I've got to get mileage in to make it count or quantify something that we are.
But I think I'm talking about for 30 minutes, that could be a mile, 2 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, whatever you do. But I think sometimes just converting small things to change the mindset to just say, " Okay. Today, I took care of myself because I think we all agree we love to run and it's that mental side, that healthy part of what we love about this sport that we don't want to neglect or lose if we are not able to get out and go for a run."
00:54:18
Rob Simmelkjaer: I meet a lot of people who are in our Road Runners community and there are days when maybe they're not feeling great, but there are some realities. We've had a couple cancellations lately where we haven't run and everybody's gotten their Nine Plus One credit. But if you're trying to do Nine Plus One and we're running, then you got to finish that race to get that Nine Plus One credit. For a lot of folks, that's a reason to run. But running doesn't necessarily mean going full tilt.
And I think a lot of folks do have the, let's face it, kind of the ego side of running, because they're in whatever corral they're in and people are looking at their times on the app and they don't want to put up a time that doesn't reflect how good they are. So, instead of saying, " You know what? I'm going to just take it easy, really jog this one out, finish, but not go hard." They're like, " Once you get into that corral, it can be hard," especially when you're in a corral that reflects you at your best and you're there and all of a sudden, those folks are all running at that usual corral pace and it's hard not to get caught up in that sometimes.
00:55:31
Ben Delaney: It's almost impossible. But as they say, comparison is also the thief of joy. And I think sometimes when you look at our larger running schedule, it's hard to race or not say race nine times, but have a peak race nine times. And I know you trained really hard for Chicago last year. You had big lofty goals and sometimes the day just doesn't provide what you want no matter how much effort you put into it. And that's why as coaches, when Steve or Gemma, we talk about ourselves internally, we say, "Get into your start line." That's goal number one. Get yourself there in one piece.
And then when you're there, you can decide what will happen on the day. And there are some days where, hey, you know what? Today's not going to be a goal race day or a PR day, but what can I use here from my training to test some things out? Is it going to be, was I able to get quicker every mile? Were they able to progress and get faster, start more control, build strong, finish fast? Was it able to do that? So, it's how you approach each race knowing that, okay, not everything has to be a PR, but I will say we've all been there. When you're on that PR arc, when every time you put the bib on and get in the corral, every race just drops in perfectly. It's the best feeling in the world.
But I think if you do have bigger goals or races that you're eyeing, you have to use those other races as tests, as tools, whether it could be a fueling plan. Am I getting enough rest before I get out there? Am I wearing the right clothes that I want to wear, testing the gear out, making sure that everything is lining up because those are all things that you can take away. And Grant talked about that as he looks ... The people he's talking with right now as he prepares for his own first half marathon, was that, was getting information.
He likes to learn as much as he can from those who have done it. So, that when he gets out there, he is as prepared as he can and he can learn ideally as he say without making some mistakes. But I think as runners, if we look at that, especially if we're doing a Nine Plus One schedule or trying to race as much as we can, everything is a potential spot to learn, take away, grow from, so that when we have that goal race or those races that we aim for, we can hopefully have as much success on that day as we can.
00:57:36
Rob Simmelkjaer: 100%. And that's exactly what you heard Grant talk about is what he wanted to get out of the NYC Half. Not just time, not just where he finishes, but you're right, that point of learning, which is really ... I've never met a runner, Ben, who already had it figured out the first time. They ran a half or they ran a marathon. No matter how much you read or who you talk to, there's just always that learning curve, because running these distances is hard.
00:58:04
Ben Delaney: I think that's what draws runners back over and over is the growth. I mean, I think if you walked into a room of runners and said, " Anybody ever run their most perfect race, whether it be a half marathon, a marathon, a 5K, 10K?" There'd be some people that would put their hands up because they have probably achieved what they're looking for, whether it be whatever times they're going for, but they are still out there. They still come back, because you're always growing, you're always learning. I think that's the beauty of this sport and what we get out of it.
I mean, I tend to tell people, I go, running can be selfish and that's okay, because you do it 100% for you. It could be the best part of your day, whether it's on a treadmill, obviously, in the Northeast this time, probably a lot of us are on treadmills. Or if you have the chance to go outside or if you live in a nice tropic area, if you go on vacation. I mean, I love to run when I travel. Why? I get to see new places. It makes me slow down, I think, and also appreciate that moment when I go somewhere when I haven't run before, that I can just stop and take a picture or just see something, live in the moment there. And I think that's what we, as we're running you have takeaway is that there's always growth. There's always going to be, hopefully, another race.
We always hope that every time we cross a finish line, there's a race somewhere down the road for us to try again. I'm sure Grant feels that way after having to scratch from the Millrose this past weekend. I'm sure he would've loved nothing better than to be in there with Cole going for the 2- mile. I know how competitive Grant is and how they do that, but I know he's looking forward to the NYC Half and shifting. He talked about that fashion state is always going to be another chance, another opportunity, and just enjoy that.
00:59:35
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. I'm curious, you're out there with runners every week with our group training classes in Central Park or elsewhere. What's the number one thing you're hearing from runners right now in New York in terms of the challenge of getting through this winter?
00:59:53
Ben Delaney: Yeah. And it's a challenge is for sure. Last Tuesday night, we're out there doing a lot of work out. And I tell people, " Hey, if you can get out here, you are already earning." If we gave badges out to people, we would give you a big badge that says, " You are, you kick butt because you got out here today." It's hard to get out there when it's 10 degrees and feels like 5 degrees or whatever we're running in. But I tell people, I said, " Even if the workout didn't go case- wise, what you wanted, you probably learned how many layers you have to wear when you're out there."
So, again, it's always looking at what we can take away from it. It's not always going to be pace or speed or however we look at it. But there's always something of value that you can take out that you also learn that you can run when it's 15 degrees outside. That's a win right there, because hopefully you'll never be faced with a race that will be that. But let's be honest here, Rob, we fastened seriously cold weather in the Northeast and all over and it doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.
So, I hear a lot from the runners is, " Hey, how do I get through this? What do I got to do?" And then when you're done, you talk about, " Did you lose feeling in your extremities? Were you warm enough? Were you too warm?" And then how can we translate that into what you may face eventually or possibly in a race? So, we're always trying to take something back with them to help them with not only that moment, but down the road as well.
01:01:09
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. Anybody who gets out to get in a run right now. And that's where I think some of that group training is so valuable. It's hard right now. Having an appointment, having a group of people that you know is going to be there out there with you, suffering with you, I think makes it a lot easier to get out. Because to do it on your own right now can be really hard. So, I listen. Much respect to everybody out there still getting it done, especially outdoors during this winter from you know what here in New York City. And that includes you, Ben Delaney.
01:01:45
Ben Delaney: Again, I tell people, I get to, when I'm out there in group training, I love it. I get to see somebody and I think is the best part of their day. And they got out there and you're never going to be alone when you show up. And I remind people that, " Hey, you get here, I guarantee you're going to be somebody, a coach or the runner, another group. Show up. Show up for yourself. Show for you, show up for one another." Some days it's going to be just that. And we're going to laugh, we're going to smile, we're going to work hard. And when it's over, we're going to feel like we're heroes.
01:02:13
Rob Simmelkjaer: Absolutely. Ben, you're a hero, for sure, in helping people get through this winter. So, thanks for joining us. Always good to have you on and we'll see you out there soon.
01:02:23
Ben Delaney: Thank you, sir. Have a great day.
01:02:24
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Ben Delaney, our head of coaching at New York Road Runners. All right. Well, that does it for another episode of Set the Pace. We want to thank our guest today, Grant Fisher and Coach Ben Delaney. We hope to see everybody out there this weekend at the Gridiron 4- Miler. Just stay tuned and keep an eye on your email, your social media for any announcements about that race. We are hopeful, but the weather is what it is and we will see what happens.
Make sure you give us a subscription, a rating, or leave us a comment on the podcast so we can hear from you. Tell us about how your winter is going as we try to all run our way through this winter of 2026. Enjoy those miles, be they outside or on a treadmill. We'll see you next week.
Grant Fisher: I want to try the roads when I am at my prime. I want to do it to really see how good I can be. And there's a little bit of risk in that, and I want to give myself a real shot, a real test. And I think looking back in 30 years, I'll be happy that, hey, I found out how good I could be.
00:00:22
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey, everybody, and welcome to Set the Pace, the official podcast of New York Road Runners presented by Peloton. I'm your host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Road Runners here in my home in Connecticut. You can see the wintry background behind me. This is not my usual spot for recording, but I'm up here today. And this is just what we're all experiencing right now in the Northeast in New York is winter, a kind of winter that we have not had in a long time.
I heard a stat someone shared with me the other day. I'm recording this on Tuesday, February 3rd. And as of now, there hasn't been a high temperature above freezing in New York for, I think, 11 or 12 days. And that hasn't happened since 1958, according to the article I read, which is crazy. And if you look ahead for the next few days, it still does not look like it's going to go above freezing anytime soon. And that's rough. That is rough for the runners. It has been rough for us at New York Road Runners.
All of you know if you're in the New York area and sign up to run races, we have had to cancel races for two straight weeks. We canceled the Fred LeBeau Half because of the snowstorm we had. And then unfortunately, we had to cancel the Manhattan 10K last Sunday as well, just because of the extreme cold temperatures. At race time, the windshield was about 10 below. And while runners can probably pull that off, we know that we can run if we've got all the right gear in some pretty cold temperatures. It's not so doable for our staff, for our volunteers.
People don't know. Our staff gets out to start setting up for these races at about 1: 00 or 2:00 in the morning. They're setting up tents, they're setting up water stations, all the infrastructure at our start and our finish lines. It's a very early morning wake up call for our staff. And unfortunately, that's a big part of what we have to take into account when we make these decisions about weather is not just can the runners handle it, but can our staff handle it? Can our volunteers who are not running? They're standing around. They're manning water stations and various spots along the course, and they can be out there for many, many hours as well. So, unfortunately, had to make that call.
We've got the Gridiron 4- Miler with FLAG Art as our partner coming up this Sunday, the day of the big game, as they say. And we're still waiting to see how that goes as I record this on Tuesday. So, no call to be made yet. But if you look at the weather forecast, it looks like more extreme cold here in New York. So, we need a break. That's all I can say. And hopefully, we get one pretty soon from this weather.
Well, this is a very special week here at New York Road Runners. As I record this episode on Tuesday, we are announcing the official kickoff of our yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough New York City Marathon. And why are we making a big deal of this? There was, many of you know, a 50th anniversary of the marathon back in 2021, and this is the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough Marathon. The first time that they ran from Staten Island to Central Park was back in 1976.
And we're making a big deal of this for a couple of reasons. First of all, this really is the marathon. When you think about what makes the TCS New York City Marathon the best day of the year in New York, why people love it, why it occupies such a special place in New York? It's because of the fact that it runs through the neighborhoods of all five boroughs of this city and that it gives people, whether they're from New York or from anywhere around the world, this incredible tour of our city and this incredible connection with all New Yorkers, two million plus, who come out to watch this race. That is the New York City Marathon, and that is really an anniversary that is worth celebrating.
Also, facts are, back in 2021, the abbreviation was cut short for New York Road Runners because of COVID. That race was only half of its normal size. So, we're really excited to make a big, big deal of this anniversary this year. Applications for the drawing for this year's marathon opened at noon Eastern time on Wednesday, February 4th. They stay open through February 25th, so you've got plenty of time to apply for that. And a very big thing that we're excited about for this year's marathon, we are celebrating this milestone by looking to reach another milestone, and that is hitting $ 100 million raised for charities here in New York City and all around the world this year in the marathon.
That would be an all- time record for the New York City Marathon. We will have 670 official charity partners in 2026. In '25, those partners raised about $ 80 million. So, we're looking for a big 25% increase in our charity fundraising to hit that $ 100 million mark for the first time ever. We're really excited about that. And by the way, it's not just for people who get into the marathon through a charity. Even if you get in some other way through Nine Plus One or maybe you're a time qualifier, you can still raise money for a charity and be a part of helping New York Road Runners and our city hit that $ 100 million goal. You'll learn more about that as we get through that registration period and the period for you to do your guaranteed entry. So, there'll be more on that.
But we want everybody to get involved in raising money for great causes all around New York and beyond. One of the causes, of course, that we're raising money for through the marathon is our own Team for Kids. Team for Kids has raised more than $ 136 million for our youth and community programs here at New York Road Runners since 2002, including more than 11 million in last year's marathon. We're looking to set a record there as well so we can do even more big things at Road Runners when it comes to getting youth and adults in our city and beyond moving and healthier and achieving all the things that we try to achieve here and what we call our mission, creating healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. So, that will be a big deal this year.
We're also going to have another year of our team for climate fundraising team. Last year, that team, which did an amazing job, they raised more than $1.6 million, which completely offset the emissions for the New York City Marathon last year. And we're looking for more folks to come and be a part of Team for Climate as we look to achieve our goal of reaching net zero for the marathon and all of our operations here at New York Road Runners. So, you'll see ways to sign up for that as well.
And on the para- athletic side, qualifying athletes will have the ability to select from five additional para- athletics categories this year when applying for the drawing. So, if you are an athlete with special needs, disabilities, take a look at those categories because we've got a lot more specificity in terms of what you can sign up for and the assistance that New York Road Runners and our partners can provide for you to get you moving as well. That's a big priority for us for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. So, we are very, very excited about this year, and you'll be hearing a lot as the year goes on about how we're going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Five- Borough New York City Marathon.
Well, despite the weather in New York, there was running this past weekend indoors at the Millrose Games uptown at the Armory. I was there along with a lot of our partners and friends at New York Road Runners. We are a sponsor of the Millrose Games and the Wanamaker Mile, in fact. So, we were thrilled to be there. And it was a great day. I was there. I was there on the earlier side. We had a youth race that took place both on the boys' and the girls' sides, an 800- meter race that our rising New York Road Runners kids were a part of. It was awesome to get a chance to hold the tape for those races.
And I hung around for a lot of the day. But the end of the day is, of course, where all the excitement happens. And we were thrilled to see a former guest and a friend of New York Road Runners, Nikki Hiltz come through with a win in the Wanamaker Mile for the very first time. Nikki wins it with a time of 4 minutes, 19 seconds 0. 64, a great, great milestone for them as they win this iconic race. And it was really exciting to see Nikki cross that finish line in first place. I know how much it meant to them to get that win and what is really the premier indoor mile event, certainly in the United States, maybe in the world, so much history, a legendary event.
Then on the men's side, it was a big upset as our friend Yared Nuguse, who was a three- time winner, defending champion. You might remember, he set the indoor world record at Millrose last year, a record that didn't stand for very long, only a few days before it was broken by Ingebrigtsen over in Europe. But it was 19- year- old Cam Myers coming up with a big upset in that race to win it. He was the youngest Wanamaker Mile winner ever with a time of 3: 47.57, so a huge win for the Australian, Cam Myers, and certainly was exciting to watch that happen as he surged across the finish line ahead of Yared Nuguse.
And then on the men's 2- mile side, that was a much anticipated race this year because of course, Grant Fisher, who we'll talk about in a second, was featured in that race along with Olympic gold medalist, Cole Hocker. Well, it was Hocker who won in that stacked field with a time of 8: 07. 31, big win for Cole Hocker who's gotten used to some big wins in his career. Now, our friend, Grant Fisher, who is our featured guest today, and we recorded a live interview with Grant last Thursday, January 30th, as part of our TCS New York City Marathon Partner Forum.
Unfortunately, Grant caught a bug, wasn't feeling great, and on the morning of the race, let everybody know he was not going to make it to the starting line. Of course, that was disappointing for so many people who are excited to see Grant run in New York. So, he pulled out and that happens. He was in New York preparing for the Millrose Games. And of course, we're excited at New York Road Runners because Grant is also set to run the United Airlines NYC Half in March. We talked a lot about that in the interview that you're going to hear in just a little while, but he just ended up scratching. And we know that can happen. We all have days where we wake up not feeling well.
There's a lot going around right now, but we're going to play the interview anyway, because what we spend a lot of time talking about with Grant in the interview is his general career and what he's been up to since Paris in 2024 when he had an incredible performance winning bronze in both the men's 5, 000 and men's 10, 000- meter events. So, we'll play that interview, talk a bit with Grant about what he's got planned, his first half marathon ever, which will be in March, as well as his ultimate goal, which is to get up to the marathon distance. And so, we'll talk about all that with Grant coming up.
But after that interview, we're actually going to bring on our coach, Ben Delaney, from New York Road Runners because we'll talk with Ben a little bit about what happened with Grant and the decision that he had to make. Of course, we don't know much about the details of Grant's illness. But listen, we all have days where maybe we're scheduled to run a race and we're just not feeling it. And so, we'll talk a little bit with Coach Ben about what runners can take away from an Olympian like Grant Fisher deciding to take a pass on a big race like that, which I'm sure had to be a really tough thing for him. He traveled all the way to New York. His fiance was in town as well. And so, it's tough for, I'm sure, for him to make a decision like that.
And so, what does that mean for you when you're not feeling your best and the decisions that maybe you should make to not run when you're 100%? That's all coming up as well, but stay tuned before that for a great live interview with Grant Fisher.
00:12:53
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00:13:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, this is a treat. We are here with a live audience at the TCS New York City Marathon Partner Forum. This is a gathering where we get all of our partners and sponsors together every year to talk about this year's marathon. And so, we're so excited to be joined with this great live audience here at the SUMMIT. We're at the SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt right in New York City, and we have an incredibly special guest joining us today. He is the fastest indoor 5K runner in the world, a two- time Olympic bronze medalist, and he's making his half marathon debut and road racing debut at the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half.
He is a runner with whom I am truly ... I'm in awe of him, simply. I watched him in Paris in both the 5K and the 10K, where he got bronze medals in both, the first American ever to do that. Please welcome Grant Fisher. Grant.
00:14:48
Grant Fisher: All right. Let's do it.
00:14:55
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, great to have you.
00:14:57
Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you, guys.
00:14:58
Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks for being here. I have to say, Grant, one of the awesome things about my job and about doing this podcast is every once in a while, I just get to meet someone who I'm truly in awe of. And I was just telling Christine Burke on our team that I remember exactly where I was watching you in 2024 in the 5, 000 and then again in the 10, 000. We had a little text chain going at New York Road Runners where we're following some of these distance races and to see you do what you did in those races, finishing on the podium, not once, but twice in these grueling events in Paris and taking out the American flag, doing your lap there, it was an incredible thing to see.
Here we are two years later and you're still doing incredible things on the track. But still, how do you look back on that time in your life and what it's meant for you to achieve what you did in Paris?
00:15:53
Grant Fisher: Oh, man. On the track when you grow up in the United States, the biggest thing you can do is go to the Olympics, represent your country and try your best. And when I was growing up, people didn't really think of Americans as people that could get on the podium very much, especially in the distance races. So, as I grew up a little bit, as professional running came on the table, as making an Olympic team came on the table, getting on the podium became an idea that I had and a goal that I had.
And you're right, you described it so well. When you cross that finish line, when you get your flag and you get to do your lap in front of 80, 000 people, there's no feeling like it. And then you get up on the podium and they put that medal around your neck and you're like, " Man, I have this forever. This is mine now. And I earned that." And it's stuff you'll never forget. Just such a good feeling. And it was equal parts relief, because I had a lot of pressure on myself that I had built up as it was just joy. Because that moment, it was one of those few moments in your life where you want to hang onto it because you know, you're going to think back to it so many times you'll never fully capture that emotion again, but just so much fun.
00:17:09
Rob Simmelkjaer: How has it changed your life as a runner and how has it changed your life off the track?
00:17:16
Grant Fisher: It certainly led to more attention off the track, which is a good thing. Track sometimes doesn't get the same recognition as the other big sports in the US, so I'll take everything we can get. On the track, there's certainly more pressure. There's a target on my back. I remember when I was first coming into the sport, if there was an Olympic medalist in the race, I wanted to beat them so bad. That was a good victory to have, even if they were way past their prime to beat an Olympic medalist would be super cool. So, now, I'm that guy with the target on my back. I like to think I'm pretty hard to beat in any distance, but it's certainly different. There's more pressure going into a race. There's expectations. You're a medalist for life, so those will hang with me forever.
00:17:59
Rob Simmelkjaer: You hardly stopped. You just kept going from 2024, doing amazing things outdoors and indoors. We're in the indoor season right now. And last year you did incredible things there. You broke world records in both the 3, 000 and the 5,000 meters. You just came from a tremendous meet in Boston as well where you broke another record, but ended up finishing second in the 2, 000 up there. So, how have you been able to take that success you had in Paris, the success you're having on the track outdoors and really bring that indoors to become one of the best in the world there as well?
00:18:36
Grant Fisher: I like to pride myself on being pretty versatile. And it's fun to try new things and new challenges and go after just something that's not always comfortable. Racing a 2K this past weekend was very uncomfortable. That's far from my specialty, far from what my training has primed me for, but wanted to get out there and race and mix it up with the best milers in the world. And it was really fun. I broke the world record, but lost the race somehow. Sometimes that happens.
00:19:04
Rob Simmelkjaer: When people are very fast and the track is fast. Shout out to our friends at New Balance, by the way, that was their track that you did that on.
00:19:12
Grant Fisher: Yeah.
00:19:12
Rob Simmelkjaer: When you break a world record and finish second, do you feel good or are you like, " How did that happen to me?"
00:19:19
Grant Fisher: It's bittersweet. It's like, " Man, it took a world record to beat me today. That's kind of crazy."
00:19:23
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty good.
00:19:24
Grant Fisher: I would have rather had that world record myself. It would have been pretty cool because I could have held the 2K, 3K and 5K world record simultaneously, which would have been pretty fun to have that range. But number two all- time is still pretty good.
00:19:38
Rob Simmelkjaer: And so, you'll be back on the track this weekend at the Millrose Games coming up on Sunday up at the Armory, and that's going to be a 3, 000- meter event, correct for you?
00:19:48
Grant Fisher: 2- mile.
00:19:49
Rob Simmelkjaer: 2 miles.
00:19:50
Grant Fisher: Almost the same.
00:19:50
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes, yes. It's tough to keep the meters and the miles correct. So, what are you looking to get out of that? Because right after that, not very long down the road, you'll be towing the line for your first ever half marathon at the United Airlines NYC Half. So, how do you go from running these shorter distances indoors to starting to train for your first ever road effort?
00:20:14
Grant Fisher: Yeah. It'll be a massive challenge and one that I'm excited for. I mentioned earlier that the sport is defined on the track at least by the Olympics. And in non- Olympic years, usually we have a world championship on the track, but we don't have that this year. So, I've got a lot more freedom to explore new things, take on a new challenge and see how it goes. So, yeah, I'm racing very short distances for me and I think I'm in pretty good shape for it to run pretty quick. The Millrose Race is Sunday, incredible field.
00:20:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a packed field. We should have Cole Hocker is running that, of course, the gold medalist from Paris, Josh Kerr, George Beamish. So, you dropped into a stacked field at the Millrose Games. What are you hoping to get from that?
00:21:00
Grant Fisher: I'm hoping to get a race out of it.
00:21:02
Rob Simmelkjaer: I think you'll get that.
00:21:04
Grant Fisher: Yeah. Last year, I went into that race wanting a competition, wanting a battle, and I found it with Cole. And we went back and forth head- to- head, and I ended up getting the best of him that time, and the time took care of itself. And now, I don't like looking too far past a race, but looking more forward to the United Airlines half, six weeks away, six and a half weeks away. I'm looking for a battle there, too. I think there'll be ... Well, everyone in that field pretty much will be more experienced on the road than me. Everyone in that field will have a better feel for fueling, for different race conditions, for hills. I'm used to a very controlled environment on the track, and I'm excited for all these new elements that I have to learn.
And so, going into that race, I think I do best when I try to win. I could easily have chosen to debut and a half marathon in a small, controlled setting. But I didn't want that. I wanted the excitement of a race, and I wanted to race guys that are way more experienced than me that ... I wanted that metric. I wanted that bar that I had to chase, and I think that'll be a perfect time for it.
00:22:19
Rob Simmelkjaer: By the way, we're going to take questions from the audience in a little while. So, start thinking of your questions for this incredible runner right now. So, have you started doing miles on the road yet? What's that process like for someone who's spent your entire career on the track to start getting ready for your first road race?
00:22:39
Grant Fisher: Yeah, I have. For track runners, the majority of our mileage is easy running, percentage- wise, and that is almost always on dirt roads or trails or paved roads. So, I'm already used to being on it for some, and then our race intensity stuff will be on the track, because that's where our race will be. So, I've started to shift over a little bit to some race intensity, well, more like half marathon race intensity onto the roads. And then once I'm done with Millrose Games this weekend, I'll really have to lock into that.
I'm already running a lot of mileage. I already do a lot of threshold work that is roughly half marathon goal pace. So, I'm used to that rhythm a little bit, but I will have to adjust to longer tempos. This past weekend, I ran a 2K. We ran about 57 high for each lap if you average it out. That's not super applicable to the half marathon. So, the sessions that prepared me for that might be 400- meter repeats. That will have to shift and transition to mile repeats, 2- mile repeats, 3- mile repeats, much longer tempos. Yeah.
00:23:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah.
00:23:48
Grant Fisher: So, I think my background being a 5K, 10K specialist will do well in the transition, but I will definitely have to change training to get ready.
00:23:59
Rob Simmelkjaer: Who have you talked to? I read that you've been in touch with some of the great American distance runners and American distance running on the road is in a really good place right now. Obviously, people like Connor Mantz, Clayton Young doing great things on the road at the half in the marathon distances. Who have you talked to? What kind of advice are you getting?
00:24:19
Grant Fisher: Actually, most of the guys I've talked to are the ones you just mentioned. I live in Park City, Utah, and those guys live in Provo, so very close. And I've spoken to Connor a few times about the half and any advice he has. And he's jokingly said, " Maybe you should wait a little longer before going to the roads." And Clayton's a great guy, too. Both of them are really elevating the game a lot in the US and Americans are fighting for podiums at majors now. That was not always the case when I was growing up. And it's a fun era to start to think about transitioning to the roads and putting my name in that realm and just seeing what I can do.
I think Connor's a fantastic athlete, really nice guy. And any chance I have racing him is really fun. We're actually the exact same age. We were the same high school class. He went on a two- year mission, but our ages are the exact same.
00:25:16
Rob Simmelkjaer: 28.
00:25:17
Grant Fisher: We're both 28.
00:25:17
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep.
00:25:18
Grant Fisher: So, it feels like he's been on the roads forever and I guess he has. He has more experience than me, but I think I can make up that gap. And I think if I can make my learning curve pretty sharp, I think I can be competitive pretty quickly.
00:25:32
Rob Simmelkjaer: The traditional path for a runner, a distance runner traditionally has been you spend as much time on the track as you can until you're really no longer able to win on the track. And then you start going out onto the road and unless you're someone like a Clayton or Connor who's pretty much rode all the way through. So, have you had people ask? And it sounds like you did get Connor, Clayton asking, why now? Why not wait a little longer to make that transition to the road? And so why now?
00:26:02
Grant Fisher: Yeah. There's two main reasons. One is that I want to try the roads when I am at my prime. I don't want to wait until I'm way over the hill and I have nothing left in my body and I'm just doing it just to say I ran a marathon. I want to do it to really see how good I can be. And there's a little bit of risk in that. Maybe I won't be as good as I was on the track, but maybe I'll be better. So, you never really know. And I want to give myself a real shot, a real test. And I think looking back in 30 years, I'll be happy that, hey, I found out how good I could be.
And the second reason is we have the Olympics coming up in 2028. So, home Olympics, the very iconic races at the Olympics are often the 100 meters, the mile and the marathon. And I don't see myself becoming 100- meter specialist anytime soon. So, the marathon is a compelling idea. This half coming up in March will be very informative on how quickly and how aggressively I want to transition more exclusively to the roads. There's been cases in the past of people doing a 10K marathon double at the Olympic Games. It's possible with the schedule that they release. So, that's kind of deep in the back of my mind.
It's a few years away, but when you work backwards and say, " Okay. If I want to run an Olympic marathon, I need to run the Olympic trials. If I want to run the Olympic trials, I should probably run a marathon before that." And if I want to do that, I should probably do a half before that. So, when you work backwards, the half in New York City coming up works out really well timing- wise. And yeah, it's an exciting space. It works out perfectly with my schedule where I can slot it in after indoor season, before outdoor season, and give an honest, really, really strong effort at it and see how it goes.
00:27:58
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, as we get set to watch you in March at the United Airlines NYC Half, what does success look like for you there? Is there a time you're thinking about? Is it winning the race or a podium finish? What are you thinking about?
00:28:14
Grant Fisher: The goal is not a time. The goal is ultimately kind of a feeling. It's a feeling of I put myself out there, I was competitive, I was in that front pack, and there's more to give. If I give a little more time to this, a little longer of a build, I see a future in it. If I'm in the race and I'm in that lead pack, I'm going to try to win. And that is my attitude going into any race is I'm going to try to win. If I come up short, it is what it is. But there's no worse feeling than finishing a race and not trying to do the big thing, try to win it, try to shoot for your big goal and finish with that feeling of, "Ah, I could have given a little bit more out there. I could have tried something different. I could have attacked with a mile to go. I could have attacked with 2 miles to go. I could have hung in there a little longer."
Those are just feelings as an athlete that you regret and I want to go in and feel like I gave everything. And so, it's more of a feeling that I'm looking for. And if I get that right, I think it'll be very encouraging for future on the roads.
00:29:19
Rob Simmelkjaer: Have you had a chance to check out the course much? It's a little different the last couple of years going over the Brooklyn Bridge instead of the Manhattan Bridge, which people seem to really like. What are your early impressions of the course?
00:29:33
Grant Fisher: Yeah. I like that it's a little less hilly than it was. For my first one, maybe at some point, the hills will be a strength. But without any data, any feedback, it's nice to have a little more comfortable flatter course. So, yeah, you go over some iconic landmarks. You go over the Brooklyn Bridge, you go through Times Square, you go through the park. These are things that people all over the world know, even if they're not runners, which is really cool. When to be somewhere where the city shuts down, a lot of my friends my age are really getting into running now. Even my friends that hated running when we were growing up, they're really getting into half marathons, full marathons. I'm actually in my friend group, one of the later ones to get into it.
00:30:18
Rob Simmelkjaer: Finally. What took you so long?
00:30:21
Grant Fisher: Well, some of my friends joke with me that they have a better half marathon PR than me. And it's true.
00:30:25
Rob Simmelkjaer: Not for long.
00:30:26
Grant Fisher: Yeah. But yeah, a lot of things lined up perfectly for this race. And I'm excited for it. The ups and downs, the turns, it'll be a little different. I'm so used to having the track where you look up and you see the lap counter. You see the time. I know what 400 meters feels like. It's always the exact same. This will be different. I'll be looking at landmarks more so. Say, " Okay. I'm in the park now. Okay. How should I feel? I'm making this last turn. Roughly that's 800 meters to go." It'll be different mentally having these ... The metrics will just be slightly different. And at the end of the day, every course is different. The weather will be different than last year.
00:31:11
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hopefully a little warmer than what we're dealing with right now in New York. Yeah.
00:31:15
Grant Fisher: Yep. And yeah, there's just so many different variables that it'll be fun to navigate it. And also, I'll be able to watch some of the best guys in the world navigate it as well. So, even if I get something wrong, I can follow these guys and make that learning curve really, really, really short. And I can see how they attack. I can see what they do when they're fatigued. I can see how they run in the pack. And if I just time trialed something on my own at a much smaller venue, I just wouldn't get that feedback. So, yeah, I think a lot of things line up and the course is going to be fun.
00:31:51
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's going to be a lot of fun to watch you out there. And talk about racing in New York as well. I mean, you're doing Millrose indoors. But to make your half marathon and your road racing debut here in this city, you're a Stanford guy, a California guy. So, coming out and doing your first road race on the East Coast, what are you looking forward to in terms of the New York experience you're going to get?
00:32:17
Grant Fisher: Sure. I mean, first of all, iconic city. Everyone in the world knows New York City. I've been out here to watch the full marathon twice. And both times I was in Harlem watching and great atmosphere. Super, super fun.
00:32:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yep.
00:32:31
Grant Fisher: And you see that as a track guy and you feel that this different energy of a whole city coming together to appreciate running. Usually on the track, growing up, you might just have your family there. Even in college, you might have a couple more extended relatives and your friends, but you never really get a whole city coming together. So, that I'm really looking forward to. A couple of my friends have run New York before. I think long- term down the road, New York Full is certainly something that I want to do and get a taste of that world marathon major type atmosphere.
You don't get that in many half marathons. Oftentimes, they're much smaller. Maybe the whole city doesn't shut down in the same way and you don't get as many people cheering. But the volume of this race, the fact that it's in New York, it's exciting, man. Really exciting.
00:33:26
Rob Simmelkjaer: As if the medals and the records and all of that isn't enough to make your life exciting, you just got engaged. Congratulations.
00:33:35
Grant Fisher: Thank you. Thank you. All right. That's the most claps I got all day. All right. Sweet. Always works.
00:33:42
Rob Simmelkjaer: A fellow Stanford alum as well, right?
00:33:44
Grant Fisher: That's right. Yeah. Sarah, my fiance ran track at Stanford. We met in college. She ran the 800. I ran the 5K. And yeah, I'm really excited. I'll probably get married in 2027. My sister's getting married this year, so I got to give her the glory this year. But that'll be really exciting. She's going to come out for the half in ... month and a half and is really excited. Her family's from the East Coast, so I'll have a lot of her side of the family come out and watch. And some of them are into track and enjoy it. Some of them don't understand running in general at all. So, it'll be fun to show them this huge event and say, " This is what I do. It's not just a hobby. I swear pro- running's a thing."
00:34:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: I have a real job.
00:34:33
Grant Fisher: Yeah, yeah.
00:34:34
Rob Simmelkjaer: Do you guys talk a lot about running when you're together? Are you getting advice, giving each other advice on how to approach races?
00:34:43
Grant Fisher: I actually try to separate it a little bit. I like that Sarah and I's relationship is not running- focused. It's nice because a lot of my life does revolve around the sport. A lot of my decisions revolve around optimizing my training. And it's nice to be at home with someone that understands what I'm saying, understands the pressures that I'm going through, understands the demands of training, but is there for me.
I think ultimately, I hope Sarah loves me because I'm me and not because I'm a runner. And I know deep down she does. And I feel that way about my family, too. My family appreciates the sport and understands it. But it's nice, especially when you're in high stakes situation, knowing that the people around you are there no matter what. Whether I'm running well or I'm running poorly, they've always been there. And so, I feel that way about Sarah. I feel that way about my family. And yeah, a lot of my life is the sport, so it's nice to have that separation.
00:35:49
Rob Simmelkjaer: Something else that is interesting about you, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised as a Stanford guy that you don't have an agent. You represent yourself. You go out and you do your own deals, sponsorship, things like that. I don't meet too many people in the industry who don't have representation. What was the thinking for you about just doing it yourself?
00:36:13
Grant Fisher: Yeah. When I came out of college, I had an agent and his name was Tom Ratcliffe, fantastic guy, really, really good agent. About a year and a half ago, I started thinking, " I think I could do some of this stuff myself." And I was looking forward to spending my time on something that wasn't entirely track- related, but in the sport. And it's been really fun. I've enjoyed it a lot. I feel like a different autonomy. I feel a different accountability in what I do.
And I know at the end of the day, no one will look out for me more than myself. And having these conversations with meet directors, with potential sponsors, my main sponsor is Nike. I have a fantastic relationship with sports marketing there. It's sometimes streamlined and I can be a little more honest and direct about what I'm looking for and what they're looking for, because I know that I'm looking out for my best interest.
And there's nothing against agents. I think agents are very important and helpful. But I was ready to see if I could do it myself and I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot of negotiation skills, a lot of business skills. There's things that I, just being an athlete, you're sheltered from, and it's fun to be at the negotiation table sometimes.
00:37:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: You got a few people in the room that could probably hire you at some point when you're running careers over. Sounds like you've got a pretty good sports marketing head in your shoulder, so it's good experience.
00:37:40
Grant Fisher: Yeah. It is good experience. As a pro- runner, you have a lot of free time. Even if you're training a lot, you're only training for three or four hours a day. So, in the context of a work week that you have a lot of free time. So, it's enjoyable to do that. Now, the one thing I don't enjoy is soliciting smaller deals. So, I do have someone do that for me.
00:38:04
Rob Simmelkjaer: So, you're not cold calling after a race, you're not just picking up the phone and, " Hey, I'm Grant Fisher, would you" ...
00:38:10
Grant Fisher: Exactly. I don't like doing that.
00:38:12
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah.
00:38:12
Grant Fisher: Yeah. So, my idea, and it's worked out pretty well, is the things I do like to do, the things I want to learn, I take care of that myself. The things I don't want to do, I outsource that.
00:38:23
Rob Simmelkjaer: Smart.
00:38:24
Grant Fisher: Yeah. Makes a lot of ... I should start doing that.
00:38:27
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's a good strategy. So, what's the one New York thing you want to do? Maybe when the half comes and your fiance is here, is there a restaurant, a show, a place you like to shop? What's your favorite New York thing?
00:38:40
Grant Fisher: My favorite New York thing is probably just taking the subway around and being with locals. But my fiance is very excited to go dress shopping while she's out here. So, if you guys know any dress shops, just ...
00:38:50
Rob Simmelkjaer: Are we talking any dress or a certain type of dress?
00:38:53
Grant Fisher: Certain type of dress. Yeah. She told me she's going to the Say Yes To The Dress Shop, which I've never seen, but that's one of the places she's going.
00:39:01
Rob Simmelkjaer: That's a pretty good thing to do in New York.
00:39:02
Grant Fisher: So, yeah, she's doing that while she's out here. I'll be laying low before the race. But there's just like a buzz of being in New York. There's a chaos to it. There's an energy to it. People are here are just like a little more direct. It's kind of fun. I'm from a small town in the Midwest and it's very different than where I grew up. So, I enjoy coming here. I don't think like based on my personality, I don't think I could live here full- time. But coming here to race, it's just that perfect buzz, that perfect energy and you feed off of it. It's infectious.
00:39:35
Rob Simmelkjaer: We love it. Well, we're thrilled to have you here. We're going to open it up for some questions from the audience for two- time Olympic medalist, world record holder, Grant Fisher. Who's got a question out there for this amazing athlete? We got one here from our friend Jason from Citizens.
00:39:56
Jason: How has technology changed for you and changed how you track your performance?
00:40:04
Grant Fisher: It's changed a lot in the past several years. Specifically, watch technology has changed a lot. Heart rate monitoring technology has improved a lot. Lactate testing has improved a lot. Wearables in general have revolutionized training. People are paying attention to every metric possible. I think sometimes it's too much information. But I think in general, it's been a net positive. And when people are racing now, they're really paying attention to their data almost the way a cyclist might, where you know these zones, you know if you can hold this effort for a certain amount of time, you can make it to the finish line.
Before, people had to guess at that. You had to know your body well enough to get it right. I think now you have numbers to back up your feelings and that helps training a lot. It allows you to train harder, more frequently for longer, and you just get better adaptations long- term because of that. And then you have the shoes and the shoes have changed so much. Yes, they allow you to race a little better, but the main thing the shoes allow you to do is train harder without getting injured.
Technology in that has shifted a ton lately and there's a lot of regulations around footwear now. It's a little less of the wild west than it was maybe five years ago. Yeah. Technology has shifted people's perception a lot. And you see faster times. I think it's partially the shoes. It's partially that people are just able to ride that line for much longer because they have more data. They have a much better idea of sustainable effort that you can get everything out of yourself on race day and not get it wrong.
00:41:50
Jackie Siskind: I'm Jackie Siskind. I'm head of North America sponsorships for TCS. As you mentioned, you're going into the half a little bit blind without some data and feedback. Is this exciting for you? Is this unsettling? How are you feeling?
00:42:07
Grant Fisher: It's exciting. It's uncharted territory for me. I've never run a half. It's something that I think can be a little intimidating sometimes where I'm up against a world- class field in a month and a half. I don't have a marathon background where I'm used to the roads. I'm used to fueling. I'm used to the hills. I'm even used to an early start. Usually, in track, I'm racing at like 8: 00 p.m. So, this will be a much earlier start. So, a lot of variables that I'll have to navigate, but I think I've been able to express this.
I look forward to a challenge. I really like that feeling of not knowing if you're going to meet your goal, not knowing if something is going to go wrong. I think I have a lot of confidence in myself, not because I know the half marathon's going to go perfectly, but I know that I've had so many times where things have gone wrong and I've found a way to get it done, that no matter what happens out there in the lead up, in the race, that I'll find a way to get things done.
And that just comes with years of racing and training. It's the same sport, ultimately. You're trying to run a certain distance as fast as you can. And I think with a six- week build where I'm shifting my training a little bit, getting a little more specialized at the half marathon distance and effort, I'll be good to go. But you're right, it's unknown. But if you've ever gone after a goal that you believe is something that you want to do, deep down in your heart, you're into it, you find a way and I'm looking forward to those feelings.
00:43:48
Rob Simmelkjaer: I have another question over here. Yep.
00:43:53
Chris: Hi, Chris with Maurten Nutrition. So, my question revolves, so you have shoes, you have all the data, so bicarb or not bicarb, and have you noticed the effects?
00:44:04
Grant Fisher: Yeah. I use bicarb for my track races. And I think there is an effect, especially for the shorter stuff. For the longer stuff, maybe we can talk after this on the applicability for a half marathon or a marathon. With the bicarb, you come with GI concerns, and the longer the race, the bigger those concerns. So, yeah, I use it for all my track races now. Unsponsored, so I do that voluntarily. So, I do believe in the product. And for the half and the full, fueling in general, carb intake becomes really, really important.
I didn't mention that on the technology side, but that has changed a ton lately as well. Yeah. That's something that I need to get used to. I did a long run with Connor Mantz about maybe five months ago, and he was drinking out of the bottle and doing it smooth. And I was like choking it down, like gagging on the bottle. So, that's something I need to practice. For the half, it's a little less important to be able to get the fluids down. I'll almost certainly take at least a gel during the race and probably one beforehand. But yeah, that's another thing I'll have to navigate and learn. There's all these new dimensions and yeah, bicarb is something that I'll consider for the race.
00:45:31
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. We have another question over here. Hi.
00:45:34
Kristen Mackenzie: Hi, how are you? I'm Kristen Mckenzie from New Balance. Just curious if you have any superstitions before or after a race.
00:45:41
Grant Fisher: I have one and it's that I always tie my right shoe before my left. Kind of a random one. I've been doing that since I was a kid. It centers myself before a race and just like the routine of it, I think just grounds me a little bit and knowing that it's just a race. I've done this 100 times, probably more than that, probably 1, 000 times. And everyone laces up their shoes before a race. Everyone does the same thing. When the gun goes off, we're all the same. And it's just this ... It's more of like a centering thing than a superstition, I guess. And it's more of a routine than something that I'm actively thinking about, but that's my one.
00:46:24
Abigail: Hi, I'm Abigail with TCS. I was wondering if you've been reading anything to get you into a different head space as you mentally prep and think towards a longer distance.
00:46:39
Grant Fisher: A little bit. I try to learn from people that have done things that I want to do. So, speaking with guys like Connor and Clayton has been informative. Reading more articles or watching interviews, post- race interviews with people that race on the roads. It's been informative. If I can learn from their mistakes before I even start, that's impactful. More just generally reading, I guess like my New Year's resolution was to read 12 books this year and I'm on track right now. So, I've been doing a bit of reading.
But yeah, I think in general, like my personalities, I always have this learning mindset. I always want to learn something from what I'm doing. And I think for this half, I'm trying to absorb as much as I can from every media that I can, whether that's a conversation with a guy that's run a half before, whether that's an article I can read, whether that's me on Google Scholar looking at different research articles about different fueling strategies, sauna strategies, heat acclimation strategies, things like that. I always want to ideally learn without making the mistake. That's allowed me to level up quite quickly on the track and hopefully that'll allow me to level up quickly on the roads, too.
00:47:57
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Well, Grant, we are so thrilled to have you joining us this march for the United Airlines NYC Half. It's going to be a big moment for you in your career as a runner, your road debut. We wish you luck in New York at Millrose this weekend, too. Hopefully you have a great meet and we can't wait. Thanks for joining us today. Appreciate it.
00:48:17
Grant Fisher: Thanks, guys.
00:48:20
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners is a nonprofit organization with a vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. The support of members and donors like you helps us achieve our mission to transform the health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and accessible running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate.
All right. Well, as promised, here to help us process what Road Runners members can learn from Grant Fisher and his career and also his scratch this past weekend, is New York Roadrunner's own coach, Ben Delaney, known to most of you as Coach Ben. What's up, Ben? How are you?
00:49:03
Ben Delaney: Good morning, Rob. Thank you so much for having me on. Grant's interview was amazing. Bummed he wasn't there at Millrose, but so looking forward to seeing him on the road March 15th at the United Airlines NYC Half. It's my favorite race on our calendar. I'll preach it to the mountaintops. I love that race and to know Grant's going to make his half marathon debut there even more special.
00:49:25
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It was great talking to him. I'm a huge fan of his and can't wait to see him back in New York as well. Ben, he talked a lot about not knowing how things are going to go sometimes when he races. I mean, this is someone who races for a living. This is his job and some days gets up, doesn't know how things are going to go. This weekend, got up and decided not to go at all. And so, what do you take from listening to a guy like Grant Fisher? Talk about that uncertainty that is always a part of this sport.
00:50:00
Ben Delaney: Yeah. I mean, I took away that he has to look at it very similar to how an everyday Hunter does. He has to make the best call for him. And I think sometimes it's hard. We put that bib on or we have that bib at home and we see a race coming up and we worked hard to get to that start line. The last thing we want to do is not get to that start line because ultimately, we want to get to that finish line as well. But I think sometimes you have to just step back and say, " Okay. Today is not my day. If I put that bib on and went for the race, would it be the race effort that I hoped? What could I learn from it?"
And then Grant really talked about that as well. He tries to learn from every moment he has and learns before he gets out there, so he has as much success. And sometimes that success, I think as hard as it is for some people is just to say, " Not today. I'm going to try again for tomorrow." That includes in your training as well as in your pacing. We have to be kind to our bodies. Our bodies give us so much, but I think we have to remember we have to give back and it's telling us stuff and we have to be willing to listen.
I think that's the hard part as runners is we don't always like what we hear. We have to listen to that because if we don't, we don't want to have something go wrong. And so, I think as granted on it, you have to listen to our body. The feedback loop is there. He talked about some data in the interview and the other side and it's like the data's there, the information's there. It's do we choose? And when we choose to listen to that, will that play into a larger success looking at macros, micros and mesocycles, the big picture sometimes, just step back and say, " You know what? I'm going to fight. I'm going to live to fight another day," as they say.
00:51:29
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. It's interesting. We have access to a lot more data about our bodies than we used to. If we are wearing all the various devices and wearables that are out there, you've got the whoops of the world. Here I am with my aura ring on right now. And I'm still actually fairly new to wearing this ring. I don't quite always know what to make of what it tells me or whether to buy it or believe it. Sometimes it'll tell me I need to take it easy and I'm like, " Wait, I feel great today." Sometimes it's the opposite. It says, " Go, go, go big today." And I'm like, " I don't think so."
But what are some signs, whether it's data or just how you feel that runners might consider hearing when it comes to making a decision about whether to go or maybe whether to just take it easy?
00:52:18
Ben Delaney: It's funny, one of the jokes I make with a lot of our runners, whether it be for team for kids or for group training or anybody I see out there is, if our wearable device is telling us, " Your BO2 max is this, your trainee is peaking." You're just all on board. But when it says, " Your body battery was a little low or your sleep wasn't very good, take a rest day," you questioned it. And I think it's funny how runners like, " Oh, I believe what I want, what I want." And it's like, come on, if you believe it for one, you have to believe it for the other. It's not a if- then statement or, " Hey, it goes both ways."
And Grant talked about the feeling that he gets when he looks at the NYC Half, because there's so much unknown. And I think that's true when we look at our training and look at our running, there's a feeling that we have and you have to listen to your body and you'll know. I mean, you'll strap on your shoes. And Rob, you just touched on it. Some days you step outside and you're just like, " Ah. If you look at a red light, green light, yellow light concept, that's maybe that yellow light in terms of your training." Like, " Maybe today is either going to be a nice, easy day, maybe it'll be a run- walk day, maybe it'll just be a walk. Maybe I'm going to go back inside and sit on the couch today."
And that's fine too, because the feedback loop is there. I think Grant touched on that a lot is you have to balance it all, because everything is a learnable moment. It's a teachable moment. You have to have the mindset and the growth to know when it's okay to say, " Okay. Maybe today's not the speed workout I had planned. Let me just convert this to a time- based run. I'm just going to go run for 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back." I think that sometimes runners think I've got to get mileage in to make it count or quantify something that we are.
But I think I'm talking about for 30 minutes, that could be a mile, 2 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, whatever you do. But I think sometimes just converting small things to change the mindset to just say, " Okay. Today, I took care of myself because I think we all agree we love to run and it's that mental side, that healthy part of what we love about this sport that we don't want to neglect or lose if we are not able to get out and go for a run."
00:54:18
Rob Simmelkjaer: I meet a lot of people who are in our Road Runners community and there are days when maybe they're not feeling great, but there are some realities. We've had a couple cancellations lately where we haven't run and everybody's gotten their Nine Plus One credit. But if you're trying to do Nine Plus One and we're running, then you got to finish that race to get that Nine Plus One credit. For a lot of folks, that's a reason to run. But running doesn't necessarily mean going full tilt.
And I think a lot of folks do have the, let's face it, kind of the ego side of running, because they're in whatever corral they're in and people are looking at their times on the app and they don't want to put up a time that doesn't reflect how good they are. So, instead of saying, " You know what? I'm going to just take it easy, really jog this one out, finish, but not go hard." They're like, " Once you get into that corral, it can be hard," especially when you're in a corral that reflects you at your best and you're there and all of a sudden, those folks are all running at that usual corral pace and it's hard not to get caught up in that sometimes.
00:55:31
Ben Delaney: It's almost impossible. But as they say, comparison is also the thief of joy. And I think sometimes when you look at our larger running schedule, it's hard to race or not say race nine times, but have a peak race nine times. And I know you trained really hard for Chicago last year. You had big lofty goals and sometimes the day just doesn't provide what you want no matter how much effort you put into it. And that's why as coaches, when Steve or Gemma, we talk about ourselves internally, we say, "Get into your start line." That's goal number one. Get yourself there in one piece.
And then when you're there, you can decide what will happen on the day. And there are some days where, hey, you know what? Today's not going to be a goal race day or a PR day, but what can I use here from my training to test some things out? Is it going to be, was I able to get quicker every mile? Were they able to progress and get faster, start more control, build strong, finish fast? Was it able to do that? So, it's how you approach each race knowing that, okay, not everything has to be a PR, but I will say we've all been there. When you're on that PR arc, when every time you put the bib on and get in the corral, every race just drops in perfectly. It's the best feeling in the world.
But I think if you do have bigger goals or races that you're eyeing, you have to use those other races as tests, as tools, whether it could be a fueling plan. Am I getting enough rest before I get out there? Am I wearing the right clothes that I want to wear, testing the gear out, making sure that everything is lining up because those are all things that you can take away. And Grant talked about that as he looks ... The people he's talking with right now as he prepares for his own first half marathon, was that, was getting information.
He likes to learn as much as he can from those who have done it. So, that when he gets out there, he is as prepared as he can and he can learn ideally as he say without making some mistakes. But I think as runners, if we look at that, especially if we're doing a Nine Plus One schedule or trying to race as much as we can, everything is a potential spot to learn, take away, grow from, so that when we have that goal race or those races that we aim for, we can hopefully have as much success on that day as we can.
00:57:36
Rob Simmelkjaer: 100%. And that's exactly what you heard Grant talk about is what he wanted to get out of the NYC Half. Not just time, not just where he finishes, but you're right, that point of learning, which is really ... I've never met a runner, Ben, who already had it figured out the first time. They ran a half or they ran a marathon. No matter how much you read or who you talk to, there's just always that learning curve, because running these distances is hard.
00:58:04
Ben Delaney: I think that's what draws runners back over and over is the growth. I mean, I think if you walked into a room of runners and said, " Anybody ever run their most perfect race, whether it be a half marathon, a marathon, a 5K, 10K?" There'd be some people that would put their hands up because they have probably achieved what they're looking for, whether it be whatever times they're going for, but they are still out there. They still come back, because you're always growing, you're always learning. I think that's the beauty of this sport and what we get out of it.
I mean, I tend to tell people, I go, running can be selfish and that's okay, because you do it 100% for you. It could be the best part of your day, whether it's on a treadmill, obviously, in the Northeast this time, probably a lot of us are on treadmills. Or if you have the chance to go outside or if you live in a nice tropic area, if you go on vacation. I mean, I love to run when I travel. Why? I get to see new places. It makes me slow down, I think, and also appreciate that moment when I go somewhere when I haven't run before, that I can just stop and take a picture or just see something, live in the moment there. And I think that's what we, as we're running you have takeaway is that there's always growth. There's always going to be, hopefully, another race.
We always hope that every time we cross a finish line, there's a race somewhere down the road for us to try again. I'm sure Grant feels that way after having to scratch from the Millrose this past weekend. I'm sure he would've loved nothing better than to be in there with Cole going for the 2- mile. I know how competitive Grant is and how they do that, but I know he's looking forward to the NYC Half and shifting. He talked about that fashion state is always going to be another chance, another opportunity, and just enjoy that.
00:59:35
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. I'm curious, you're out there with runners every week with our group training classes in Central Park or elsewhere. What's the number one thing you're hearing from runners right now in New York in terms of the challenge of getting through this winter?
00:59:53
Ben Delaney: Yeah. And it's a challenge is for sure. Last Tuesday night, we're out there doing a lot of work out. And I tell people, " Hey, if you can get out here, you are already earning." If we gave badges out to people, we would give you a big badge that says, " You are, you kick butt because you got out here today." It's hard to get out there when it's 10 degrees and feels like 5 degrees or whatever we're running in. But I tell people, I said, " Even if the workout didn't go case- wise, what you wanted, you probably learned how many layers you have to wear when you're out there."
So, again, it's always looking at what we can take away from it. It's not always going to be pace or speed or however we look at it. But there's always something of value that you can take out that you also learn that you can run when it's 15 degrees outside. That's a win right there, because hopefully you'll never be faced with a race that will be that. But let's be honest here, Rob, we fastened seriously cold weather in the Northeast and all over and it doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.
So, I hear a lot from the runners is, " Hey, how do I get through this? What do I got to do?" And then when you're done, you talk about, " Did you lose feeling in your extremities? Were you warm enough? Were you too warm?" And then how can we translate that into what you may face eventually or possibly in a race? So, we're always trying to take something back with them to help them with not only that moment, but down the road as well.
01:01:09
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Absolutely. Anybody who gets out to get in a run right now. And that's where I think some of that group training is so valuable. It's hard right now. Having an appointment, having a group of people that you know is going to be there out there with you, suffering with you, I think makes it a lot easier to get out. Because to do it on your own right now can be really hard. So, I listen. Much respect to everybody out there still getting it done, especially outdoors during this winter from you know what here in New York City. And that includes you, Ben Delaney.
01:01:45
Ben Delaney: Again, I tell people, I get to, when I'm out there in group training, I love it. I get to see somebody and I think is the best part of their day. And they got out there and you're never going to be alone when you show up. And I remind people that, " Hey, you get here, I guarantee you're going to be somebody, a coach or the runner, another group. Show up. Show up for yourself. Show for you, show up for one another." Some days it's going to be just that. And we're going to laugh, we're going to smile, we're going to work hard. And when it's over, we're going to feel like we're heroes.
01:02:13
Rob Simmelkjaer: Absolutely. Ben, you're a hero, for sure, in helping people get through this winter. So, thanks for joining us. Always good to have you on and we'll see you out there soon.
01:02:23
Ben Delaney: Thank you, sir. Have a great day.
01:02:24
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Ben Delaney, our head of coaching at New York Road Runners. All right. Well, that does it for another episode of Set the Pace. We want to thank our guest today, Grant Fisher and Coach Ben Delaney. We hope to see everybody out there this weekend at the Gridiron 4- Miler. Just stay tuned and keep an eye on your email, your social media for any announcements about that race. We are hopeful, but the weather is what it is and we will see what happens.
Make sure you give us a subscription, a rating, or leave us a comment on the podcast so we can hear from you. Tell us about how your winter is going as we try to all run our way through this winter of 2026. Enjoy those miles, be they outside or on a treadmill. We'll see you next week.
