Thank you, New York. Today, we're reminded of the power of community and the power of coming together. Athletes, on your mark.
The first woman to finish for the second straight year here in the New York City Marathon is Miki Gorman, a smiling Miki Gorman. And why not? 2: 29:30 the time for (inaudible)
Look at the emotion of Shalane Flanagan as she comes to the line. Pointing to his chest, pointing to the USA he so proudly wears across his chest. A great day for Meb Keflezighi.
All right, Annie, another title right here in New York City. Let's talk about it. Tell me a little bit about the race.
Yeah. It went out quick, but I was kind of hoping that would happen. I felt like there's a lot of people who had heavy legs training for marathons, just coming from marathons and I thought, okay, 5K on the roads. There's no one in this field that I feel like is more suited for this than me. And obviously that doesn't mean you're going to win. People can be in really good shape, but I was like, this is my
strength right here. And so I tried to really capitalize on that. I knew I needed the race to be fast in the beginning to burn people's legs up a little bit and to scare people a little bit into not going with us. And then Emma Grace pushed at
mile two. And I didn't feel super great, but I tried to rely on a lot of the times in middle of the races, I don't feel good, and so I just have to kind of keep believing in my strength and keep pushing. And then yeah, kind of just made a move and tried to push, not look back.
That was a big move, though. It was on the turn, so you kind of cut in on the inside. Tell me a little bit about that. Because then it wasn't just the move. There was a surge after that really broke it apart.
Yeah. Well, I feel strongly that in races, if you're going to take the lead, not in the first half, because you can't do anything, but if you're going to take the lead, you need to make an actual move, especially on the roads. On the track, maybe there's a reason for it. But on the roads, if you're going to make a move, you better let go. So I wanted
to kind of... Yeah, if people went with me that was fine, but I wanted to test where they were at, and you can kind of tell how people respond. And I think for a while, I don't know, but it sounded like they were still kind of with me. And so I was a little nervous that it was a little early, especially with the hill, but I just
kept trying to push and I could tell. About 400 meters, I could tell that they had dropped off enough that I know that if I was in their position, it'd be very hard to come back.
There's confidence right now. I can feel it and I can hear it, but I know that there's been change for you. You are now coaching yourself. So let's talk about that. Where does this confidence come from. And it's showing. You're running that way.
Yeah. I think it was... Yeah, it's hard. I've done a lot more training on my own this fall, and that's been definitely draining at points, but I did Cow Harbor at the beginning of the year, and that was kind of rough. And I was like, oh, I don't know if I am doing the right training, if I'm doing a
great job at this. And then I ran the Boston Women's 10K and just ran faster than I did last year, and I think that really... I got a lot of confidence from that because I knew Erica was in great shape. I got second to her, but held on as long as I possibly could. And I think that was like, no, I'm doing what I need to be doing. And it's a road 5K. Like I said, I
just feel confident, especially in this field. It was such a good field, but I felt like I was the only one who kind of specialized in this.
It's so fun.
So it helps a lot.
It's so fun to see you and hear you. Last year, you were excited and you were confident, but this year, it's a different level.
Yeah.
What are you going to do to celebrate this? We're here in one of the greatest cities of the world, if not the greatest city. Tell me what you do to celebrate this way.
I don't know. Honestly, socialize. I feel like all I've been doing is socializing with people. Yesterday, I sat down, I was like... I don't think I've sat in my hotel room all day. And I'm here alone, so I'm just seeking out people like, " Hey, how are you doing?" It's just great to see people. I have no idea. Yeah, to be determined.
It's been such, not stressful. Well, it is stressful, the year of the Olympics, but it's a heaviness that now you feel a sense of lightness. I'm assuming that. We have a world championship this summer, but the Olympics are gone now. We can worry about that in 2028.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, you still always think about the upcoming next championship. One of my main goals in running is to make a team, any team. And obviously everyone wants that to be the Olympic team, and it's such a hard thing because you kind of have to go into it and believe you can make the team. Even if that's delusional, as a professional runner, you have to go and be like, I can make
that team. And so the truth is most people walk away and don't make that team, and that's very hard to deal with that someone who is very competitive and I want to win everything. I think anyone who's out here and doesn't want to win is crazy. I love running, but I also love to compete and win. And so yeah, it takes a few months to get over it, I think, and just get back into training and enjoy it again. So-
Well, keep building that confidence and keep wearing that smile. And we know we'll see you with the red, white and blue on congratulations.
Thank you, Carrie.
Yeah. Ahmed. Okay, so technically second USATF Championship, but first here on the streets in New York City.
Yes.
That had to have been really cool.
Absolutely. Absolutely. It started right in front of the UN. And I'm international affairs major, so this has always been something I've gotten excited about in this race. I don't think I'll miss it in the future. For as long as Sam is trying to be willing to have me here, I'm back every year.
Yeah. So let's talk about the race a little bit. You are in that pack for the first, what, mile or so. Then you push, and you push hard. You get a pretty big lead, and then they start to reel you back in. Talk us through it a little bit.
Yeah, I wanted to make sure that it didn't come down to kick. Like I said, I think kick can be anybody's race at any given day. And I've been building way too much strength, and I've been now three and a half months almost since my last race, and so I wanted to see if what we've been doing
differently will work. And that's one of the things I'm working on this year, is just building the strength and being a lot stronger, especially the latter races of the parts of the race. And I wanted to make sure that the kickers, I take the speed out of them.
You were talking to me after the race and you said you kind of wanted this race to be not a warning. That wasn't the word that you said, but you wanted to show people what you can do.
Absolutely. I think I've always... The reality of where I was and what I believed I could do a lot of times didn't align, and I feel like sometimes that could create a little bit of disappointment. And I think it had a lot to do for me. We've learned we needed to work more on the strength side of things because I'm, I think in my opinion, a good hybrid athlete where I could alternate between the track and
the road. I ran a 3K in 7: 40, and then within five days, I came back to run the 8K and won the 8K US Road Champs in Tennessee. And so I know I'm a hybrid athlete. I know I could be a great 10 K runner right now where I'm at. And I think in order to show that to the world and to my competitors, I had to build the strength right now, and obviously we're going to start continue building that.
And so today it was like, let's see if we could do what we thought we could do and finally it kind of stick.
Well, you're in this young professional career of yours. You're just sort of getting going. Is the 10K the event for you, or are you excited to see this long one tomorrow, the 26. 2 mile race that happens here?
I think I've been telling a lot of my friends and teammates that this weekend is, especially if you're running the 5K, it's a cheat code to experience the whole full marathon of New York City but not run 26 miles. The longest I ran was this fall one go, and that was 20 miles two weekends ago. First time ever running 20 miles. I've done 18 before a couple times, but we've been building, like I said, the strength.
But I am not excited to race 26 miles, but I'm very excited to watch it. And I have four teammates that last night, we met as a team and our coaches were talking to us about just making sure that we're warming up the course for them and telling them, " Hey, we believe in you." And I am really excited for my four teammates that are racing tomorrow, Kellen, Aliphine and Futsum, and Wesley. So I want them to be out
there, and I'll be cheering them on. And I have my beautiful wife here as well, and so it's a great weekend here.
I know that you got a big check here to finish that race, so what are you going to do for your wife? It's all about making sure you two go out and celebrate. So what's the plan?
Well, we were already planning on our honeymoon in about a month, and so we're going to East Africa for a little bit, for a month or so. So this whole build up this fall was more about just really try to build that strength, and then take a little bit of downtime, and then come back and build more strength. And we'll do the tanking on the track and all of that, but yeah, she's been a good charm
for me. Since we've gotten married, I've PRed in almost all of my events and I've gotten two national titles, and so we'll make sure we treat her right. I won't get paid from New York until probably January or February, but it's something we know is coming eventually. It's a good payday with the road circuit. I think I'll
be moving up to third as well on that. And yeah, with a little bit more bonuses along the way, I think it's a great, great payday.
Oh, congratulations on everything, the wedding, the win, all of it. Way to go.
Thank you so much. It's been an incredible year, and it's also been a lot. I feel like a lot of things going around the world. As international affairs, there are a lot of issues that I've been speaking a lot about. And if you want to learn more about it, you could find me on Instagram or whatever, but I hope that there is the world peace in Sudan and in Gaza,
what's happening and all of that. So I feel like the last three months have been very quiet for me, but I've been finding a lot of what's been around the world and the people of Gaza deserve freedom and people of Sudan deserve peace as well.
Well, thanks for bringing joy today.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you, Carrie. Thank you.
All right, I'm here with Zariel Macchia. Zariel, three in a row winning the youth race. And we know you from running at the USA's and running in the World Cross, and running at Champs and in Footlocker, all the things, but this race keeps bringing you back.
Yeah, it's just a really exciting, fun environment. You go to the expo the day before and you just have a crowd down the whole course, and it's just impossible not to be really excited the whole time you're at this race. And it's just so much fun to be able to keep coming back here. And then you have the professional men and women racing too, and it is just a really, really exciting environment to be a part of.
Tell me about today's race. When did you know you were going to win this race?
Okay, so I actually had talked to Dylan beforehand, so we decided to wear USA uniforms together, and we're like we'll run together to two miles. And once we get into the park, we'll race, and whatever you want to do, go for it. So we were pushing each other and giving words of encouragement during the race. And then once we hit Central Park, it's like, all right, now let loose. And I felt pretty good, so I pulled
away a little bit. And then we hit 800 together. And I was like, all right, I know Dylan loves 800, so I better pick it up here because I didn't know what she's going to come up with for this last eight. But yeah, it was really fun.
I love it. You have been able to represent the US already at this young age, but being surrounded by all these great athletes that are also Olympians or US champions, it has to be pretty inspiring.
Oh, 100%. Just getting to talk to them and getting to learn from them, it's just such a unique experience. And I think it really... For me personally, it kept me really excited to keep going. And just like to hear about their journeys and their love for the sport, it just makes me love it even more too.
Well, your family loves this sport. Mom and dad, both runners. Your mom is a police officer, your dad is a teacher, and they just love going to all of the events. So thank you for keep on coming back to this race, and we'll see you in the future.
Yes.
You still have one more year of high school, right?
Well, this is my last year of high school.
Okay. Well, then we might see you as a professional here next year.
Oh, maybe. I don't know. We'll see.
All right, Zariel. Congratulations. Three- time winner. Awesome.