In this special race-day episode of Set the Pace, hosts Olympian Carrie Tollefson and CITIUS MAG's Kyle Merber interview the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half champions—Eden Rainbow-Cooper, Daniel Romanchuk, Hellen Obiri, Adriaan Wildschutt, and Daniel Mata—who led more than 30,000 athletes from the start in Prospect Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through Manhattan, and to the finish in Central Park.

In this special race-day episode of Set the Pace, hosts Olympian Carrie Tollefson and CITIUS MAG's Kyle Merber interview the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half champions&mdash;Eden Rainbow-Cooper, Daniel Romanchuk, Hellen Obiri, Adriaan Wildschutt, and Daniel Mata&mdash;who led more than 30,000 athletes from the start in Prospect Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through Manhattan, and to the finish in Central Park.

NYRR Set the Pace Presented by Peloton is the official podcast of New York Road Runners. Join hosts Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, and Becs Gentry, Peloton Instuctor, every Thursday in conversation with inspiring athletes, from everyday enthusiasts to elite marathoners, to hear stories of perseverance, drive, and dedication. Each episode also includes an NYRR Member Moment spotlight and pro tip from 2009 New York City Marathon champ and Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi.

Set the Pace

NYRR Set the Pace Presented by Peloton is the official podcast of New York Road Runners. Join hosts Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, and Becs Gentry, Peloton Instructor, every Thursday in conversation with inspiring athletes, from everyday enthusiasts to elite marathoners, to hear stories of perseverance, drive, and dedication. Each episode also includes an NYRR Member Moment spotlight and pro tip from 2009 New York City Marathon champ and Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi.

NYRR Set the Pace Presented by Peloton is the official podcast of New York Road Runners. Join hosts Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, and Becs Gentry, Peloton Instructor, every Thursday in conversation with inspiring athletes, from everyday enthusiasts to elite marathoners, to hear stories of perseverance, drive, and dedication. Each episode also includes an NYRR Member Moment spotlight and pro tip from 2009 New York City Marathon champ and Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi.

How the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Champions Conquered the Course

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/dc1b3f8c-8a2d-4298-8405-b17000ea5872/clips/51862278-370f-4169-b54b-b40e017dfb48/transcript

Building on last week’s conversation with Mary Cain, Set the Pace explores how she transformed her experiences into a movement to create a healthier future for girls and women in sport by founding Atalanta NYC, a nonprofit that employs professional runners to achieve their goals while mentoring the next generation. Becs sits down with Atalanta NYC professional athletes Emily Richards, Susan Aneno, and Leah Anderson, along with Executive Director Devon Martin, to discuss creating a team culture rooted in community, education, and movement. Together, they share personal stories of overcoming isolation, cultural expectations, body image pressures, and setbacks. The conversation also highlights Atalanta's work mentoring high school runners in underserved New York City communities, fostering environments where young athletes are empowered to thrive on and off the track. 

Listen to episode 1 - The Fastest Girl in America: Inside Mary Cain’s “This Is Not About Running” 

Content note: This episode references the death of an athlete's father. Broader themes covered in the previous episode (Ep 171) include self-harm and suicidal ideation

Learn more about Atalanta and donate at https://www.atalantanyc.org/donate

 

FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTube
SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

DISCLAIMER

Building on last week&rsquo;s conversation with Mary Cain, Set the Pace explores how she transformed her experiences into a movement to create a healthier future for girls and women in sport by founding Atalanta NYC, a nonprofit that employs professional runners to achieve their goals while mentoring the next generation. Becs sits down with Atalanta NYC professional athletes Emily Richards, Susan Aneno, and Leah Anderson, along with Executive Director Devon Martin, to discuss creating a team culture rooted in community, education, and movement. Together, they share personal stories of overcoming isolation, cultural expectations, body image pressures, and setbacks. The conversation also highlights Atalanta's work mentoring high school runners in underserved New York City communities, fostering environments where young athletes are empowered to thrive on and off the track.&nbsp; Listen to episode 1 - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fastest-girl-in-america-inside-mary-cains-this-is/id1703616687?i=1000777993159">The Fastest Girl in America: Inside Mary Cain&rsquo;s &ldquo;This Is Not About Running&rdquo;&nbsp;</a>
Content note: This episode references the death of an athlete's father. Broader themes covered in the previous episode (Ep 171) include self-harm and suicidal ideation
Learn more about Atalanta and donate at <a href="https://www.atalantanyc.org/donate">https://www.atalantanyc.org/donate</a>
&nbsp;
FOLLOW NYRR: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nyrr/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkRoadRunners/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nyrr">X</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@newyorkroadrunners">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nyrrvideo/podcasts">YouTube</a> SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/set-the-pace/id1703616687">Apple Podcasts </a>or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2k1UziVCr4wYtMM5Awr2MA?si=871db22f44c049b1">Spotify</a>. <a href="https://www.nyrr.org/setthepace">DISCLAIMER</a>

Mary Cain’s Atalanta NYC Empowers Young Runners to Thrive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/dc1b3f8c-8a2d-4298-8405-b17000ea5872/clips/c819bb95-af6f-4549-8776-b497002417d0/transcript

 

When The New York Times featured Mary Cain’s Opinion piece, "I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike," in 2019, the running world, including elite athletes, was shocked. Behind her record-breaking success was a story of pressure, abuse, and survival. In Part 1 of this special two-part series for Set the Pace, Rob sits down with Mary to discuss her powerful memoir, “This Is Not About Running,” and her experiences as a young professional athlete with the Nike Oregon Project and Coach Alberto Salazar. Mary shares how harmful coaching practices, body shaming, and a culture that prioritized performance over well-being affected her physical and mental health, ultimately leading her to speak out and advocate for change. The conversation explores the lasting impact of those experiences, the importance of recognizing RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), and why creating healthier environments for athletes matters most.

Content note: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts that some listeners may find difficult.


You can find Episode 1 of HSS's 4 part series on RED-S HERE 

And hear our interview with Josh Kerr HERE! 

 

Tickets are now on sale  for the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships!  NYRR members Get a 10% off discount code. Find your discount code on your Haku dashboard.


FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTube
SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

DISCLAIMER

&nbsp;
When The New York Times featured Mary Cain&rsquo;s Opinion piece, "I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike," in 2019, the running world, including elite athletes, was shocked. Behind her record-breaking success was a story of pressure, abuse, and survival. In Part 1 of this special two-part series for Set the Pace, Rob sits down with Mary to discuss her powerful memoir, &ldquo;This Is Not About Running,&rdquo; and her experiences as a young professional athlete with the Nike Oregon Project and Coach Alberto Salazar. Mary shares how harmful coaching practices, body shaming, and a culture that prioritized performance over well-being affected her physical and mental health, ultimately leading her to speak out and advocate for change. The conversation explores the lasting impact of those experiences, the importance of recognizing RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), and why creating healthier environments for athletes matters most.
Content note: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts that some listeners may find difficult.
 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkNTHz5Rzik&amp;list=PLDps2oOp60a5d8zphSxRUCJ_-6px26o-x&amp;index=18">You can find Episode 1 of HSS's 4 part series on RED-S HERE&nbsp;</a>
<a href="-%20https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/olympian-josh-kerr-heads-to-nyc-to-defend-his-title/id1703616687?i=1000668442180&amp;l=zh-Hans-CN'">And hear our interview with Josh Kerr HERE!&nbsp;</a>
&nbsp;
Tickets are now on sale &nbsp;for the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor &amp; Para National Championships! &nbsp;NYRR members Get a 10% off discount code. Find your discount code on your Haku dashboard. FOLLOW NYRR: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nyrr/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkRoadRunners/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nyrr">X</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@newyorkroadrunners">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nyrrvideo/podcasts">YouTube</a> SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/set-the-pace/id1703616687">Apple Podcasts </a>or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2k1UziVCr4wYtMM5Awr2MA?si=871db22f44c049b1">Spotify</a>. <a href="https://www.nyrr.org/setthepace">DISCLAIMER</a>

The Fastest Girl in America: Inside Mary Cain’s “This Is Not About Running” (Part 1)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/dc1b3f8c-8a2d-4298-8405-b17000ea5872/clips/886f8d7d-2ec8-40d6-a7f9-b48f0183343a/transcript

This week, Rob and Becs lead a roundtable discussion on how heat and humidity can become a runner’s secret weapon. Whether you're training for a fall marathon or just trying to stay fit in the summer, running in the heat can help make you a stronger and faster in the fall. Joining the conversation is Dr. Eamon Duffy, a sports cardiologist at Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian and a new member of the New York Road Runners Medical Advisory Council. They’re also joined by Dr. Eric Roy, a water scientist who founded the water-filtration company Hydroviv out of his Washington, D.C. apartment in response to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Hydroviv was later acquired by Culligan®, the official water partner of NYRR. Rounding out the discussion is Coach Ben, NYRR’s Head of Training Programs, who shares practical tips for training in the heat, including why runners should focus on effort over pace. 

 

Tickets are now on sale  for the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships!  NYRR members Get a 10% off discount code. Find your discount code on your Haku dashboard.


FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTube
SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

DISCLAIMER

This week, Rob and Becs lead a roundtable discussion on how heat and humidity can become a runner&rsquo;s secret weapon. Whether you're training for a fall marathon or just trying to stay fit in the summer, running in the heat can help make you a stronger and faster in the fall. Joining the conversation is Dr. Eamon Duffy, a sports cardiologist at Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian and a new member of the New York Road Runners Medical Advisory Council. They&rsquo;re also joined by Dr. Eric Roy, a water scientist who founded the water-filtration company Hydroviv out of his Washington, D.C. apartment in response to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Hydroviv was later acquired by Culligan&reg;, the official water partner of NYRR. Rounding out the discussion is Coach Ben, NYRR&rsquo;s Head of Training Programs, who shares practical tips for training in the heat, including why runners should focus on effort over pace.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Tickets are now on sale &nbsp;for the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor &amp; Para National Championships! &nbsp;NYRR members Get a 10% off discount code. Find your discount code on your Haku dashboard. FOLLOW NYRR: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nyrr/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkRoadRunners/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nyrr">X</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@newyorkroadrunners">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nyrrvideo/podcasts">YouTube</a> SUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/set-the-pace/id1703616687">Apple Podcasts </a>or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2k1UziVCr4wYtMM5Awr2MA?si=871db22f44c049b1">Spotify</a>. <a href="https://www.nyrr.org/setthepace">DISCLAIMER</a>

How to Make Summer a Runner's Secret Weapon

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/dc1b3f8c-8a2d-4298-8405-b17000ea5872/clips/e05858e4-81a4-43fe-a99b-b4890019e938/transcript

How the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Champions Conquered the Course

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