Set the Pace

Joining Rob and Becs this week is British ultramarathon runner, and Becs’ fellow Peloton Tread instructor, Susie Chan. Susie didn’t start running until she was 35, when her brother convinced her to join him for a half marathon. Now, at age 50, she’s completed many marathons, including all six Abbott World Marathon Majors. She went on to conquer the Marathon des Sables, a six‑day, 250‑kilometer race through the Sahara; set a Guinness World Record by running 68.54 miles on a treadmill in 12 hours; and made ultrarunning history as the first European woman to finish all three Badwater Ultramarathon races in the same year. She’s also the award‑winning author of Trails and Tribulations: The Running Adventures of Susie Chan, which won Sports Performance Book of the Year at the 2025 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards. Plus, this week’s Member Moment features Margaret Schwarz, who completed 20 consecutive New York City Marathons before shifting her endurance focus to open-water swimming. Support Rob's 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Run With TFKFOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTubeSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s show, Rob and Becs are joined by Olympic silver medalist and three-time U.S. steeplechase champion Kenneth Rooks. Kenneth talks about his breakout performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics and what makes the steeplechase such a unique and demanding event. He shares his journey from high school runner to NCAA champion and opens up about his two-year church mission in Uganda—and how faith and resilience have shaped his athletic career. He also talks about what it’s like training in Provo, Utah alongside elite marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young. All three athletes train under coach Ed Eyestone, who helps each find their strengths, which will give Kenneth the confidence to power his finishing kick when he faces the competition at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next month. Plus, NYRR member Ottilia Demeter speaks with Meb about completing the TCS New York City Marathon wearing a shirt that read, “I am running with a brain tumor. What’s your superpower?” Support Rob's 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Run With TFKFOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTubeSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Rob announced that he’ll be running the 2025 Chicago Marathon for Team for Kids, with Becs coaching him to a Boston Marathon qualifying time. Tune in to learn what Becs has planned for Rob’s training program. Featured on the show is guest Patina Miller—Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning actor and avid runner. She’s completed the TCS New York City Marathon twice and recently ran the 2025 TCS London Marathon in pursuit of a six-star Abbott World Marathon Majors medal. Tina is also a mother, and this summer, is serving as a mentor for the 2025 cohort of our Run for the Future program. Plus, Meb interviews Leanna Scaglione for this week’s Member Moment. Leanna is the 2025 national ambassador for the Children’s Tumor Foundation and is aiming for her fourth Abbott World Marathon Majors star at the 2025 Berlin Marathon. And don’t miss the launch of our special TCS New York City Marathon Meb Minute series, where Meb counts down the miles to the finish line and offers training tips. WATCH the show on YouTube!!! FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTubeSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Susanna Sullivan, the top American finisher at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, joins Set the Pace this week to talk about the preparation it took to clock a blazing 2:21:56 finish time. She went on to be the top American finisher at the 2025 London Marathon. Susanna isn’t just one of the fastest American marathon runners around, she’s also a sixth-grade math teacher in Virginia. She shares with Rob and Becs what it’s like to go from teaching pre-algebra during the week to competing against world-class runners on the weekend. Susanna is preparing for the 2025 World Athletics Championships marathon in Tokyo, where she’ll represent Team USA. For this week’s Member Moment, Meb interviews Team for Kids runner Udai Jariwala who, after two knee replacements, ran his first marathon at age 75 at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. Udai says that running slow has made him a faster runner. Support Rob's 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Run With TFKLearn More about the 2025 Start Line Series FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTubeSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first-ever video version of Set the Pace launches this week at the Peloton Studios in NYC, as Rob and Becs interview Queens-born N.O.R.E., who burst onto the scene in the late 1990s as one half of the hip-hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga. He went on to a successful solo career, and most recently, became the co-host of the popular podcast Drink Champs, where he interviews rap legends over a few drinks. Find out how this hip-hop veteran went from “Noreaga” to “marathon runner,” and why he’s embracing health and wellness with the same passion that he’s brought to his music career. When his homie Busta Rhymes asked him, “What do you do this for?” N.O.R.E. said he runs to “be a better version of me.” Plus, a few weeks ago, Meb caught up with NYRR member Noah Perez, a young runner who took up the sport on a whim and dove in headfirst, drawn by the challenge and competition. The more he ran, the more running became something deeper. WATCH the show on YouTube!!! FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | YouTubeSUPPORT: 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  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining the show this week is Deborah McFadden, a trailblazer in disability rights who played a key role in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At 23, while in graduate school, Deborah was struck with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare illness that causes paralysis. Facing intense discrimination, Deborah became determined to fight for disability equality and was later appointed U.S. Commissioner of Disabilities under President George H.W. Bush. The ADA transformed public life by mandating curb cuts, ramps, accessible restrooms, and equal access to education and employment. Deborah is the mother of Paralympic athletes Tatyana and Hannah McFadden. During a humanitarian trip to Russia, Deborah met six-year-old Tatyana, a child with spina bifida living in an orphanage. Deborah brought her home to the U.S., later adopting Hannah from an orphanage in Albania. Determined to give her daughters equal opportunities, she fought for inclusive school sports—leading to the Tatyana’s Law, which guarantees equal athletic opportunities for students with disabilities.Today's Member Moment is with Kristian Ramos and stay tuned for a special Meb Minute with HSS all about crosstraining for runners, featuring Mohammad Saad, PT, DPT .FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTokSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emmy award-winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez joins Rob to talk about directing “Final Finishers,” a new documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Festival and marks the launch of NYRR’s in-house studio, East 89th St Productions. The film highlights the incredible journeys of the back-of-the-pack runners—whose stories of grit and determination embody the spirit of what it takes to run 26.2 miles. Rudy shares insights on the collaborative nature of filmmaking, what drew him to the project, the importance of inclusive storytelling, and how the experience inspired him to start training for a marathon himself on November 2 at the TCS New York City Marathon. And for this week’s Member Moment, Meb interviewed Anne Giovanoni, a New York City Marathon streaker with 16 finishes under her belt who was so inspired by the determination of the final finishers that she became a supporter of the documentary. FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTokSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olympian Nikki Hiltz returns to Set the Pace after a record-breaking year of headline-making races and personal milestones. When they last joined the podcast, Nikki was on the verge of earning a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics—where they made history as the first openly transgender and nonbinary American to reach an individual Olympic final. Nikki joins Becs to talk about setting records on the track and taking on the challenge of competing in the Grand Slam Track series. They also share their advocacy work through events like the Flagstaff Pride 5K, which has raised over $170,000 for The Trevor Project. Plus, this week’s Member Moment features Mauricio Blandino, who joined Achilles International after a long journey recovering from a traumatic brain injury. He leads the New York City chapter of the Brain Injury Association, helping other brain injury survivors find community and support in their recovery.Listen to our last interview with Nikki here - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-with-nikki-hiltz-trailblazing-pro-middle/id1703616687?i=1000659605577FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTokSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Rob and Becs this week is New York Giants legend and longtime runner Tiki Barber. Tiki shares what inspired him to run his first New York City Marathon in 2014 and going on to complete over 15 marathons, including races in Boston, Big Sur, and Jerusalem with hopes of running all Abbott World Marathon Majors. He talks about how the “beauty of running is the encouragement you get” from the spectators, unlike football where you may get booed by the crowd, which he lightheartedly admits he’s experienced a few times. Tiki also discusses his work with Team for Kids and Achilles International and what’s next for him, including being a guide runner at the NYRR Staten Island Half. Plus, Rob and Becs reflect on the loss of running pioneer and NYRR Hall of Fame member Nina Kuscsik who passed away last week. And this week’s Meb Minute is all about training smart in the summer months.Read more about Nina Kuscsik here - https://www.nyrr.org/run/photos-and-stories/2025/nina-kuscsik-womens-distance-running-pioneer-and-legendFOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTokSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special Father’s Day episode, Rob is joined by NYRR board member and marathoner Juan Uro who shares how running gave him the motivation to keep moving after losing his 6-year-old son, Bautista. Earlier this year Juan completed the World Marathon Challenge—running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days—in memory of Bauti, as he affectionally refers to his late son. Throughout the 5-day, 20-hour challenge, his wife Mariela and daughter Isabella cheered him on from their home in NYC. Juan says running was a way for him to deal with grief, giving him a reason to get out of bed almost every morning and move forward, even in the darkest days. Plus, this week’s Member Moment spotlights nonbinary champ Galo Vasquez, a SUNY New Paltz alum who has dominated NYRR’s nonbinary division, winning both the United Airlines NYC half and the RBC Brooklyn Half.   Juan Uro and 7 Marathons in 6 days: (04:42)Galo Vasquez - Non-binary Champion: (43:34)HSS's Yukiko Matsuzaki - Adolescent Athletes: (53:37)  FOLLOW NYRR: Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTokSUPPORT: Support the Set the Pace podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.