Growing a business means a lot of audience attracting, a lot of lead scoring and a lot of long days. But with HubSpot, it's easier than ever for marketers to boost leads and score customers fast, which means pretty soon your company will have a lot to celebrate. Visit Hubspot. com/ marketers to learn more.
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 good advice.
Look at the emotion of Shalane Flanagan as she comes to the line.
Pointing to his chest, pointed to the USA he so proudly wears across his. A great day for Meb Keflezighi.
Hey everybody, and welcome to a special edition of Set the Pace presented by Peloton. I'm Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Roadrunners, and today is the Champions Edition of the TCS New York City Marathon. We've got all four winners from today's race with us, and they were incredible races. Three races came right down to the very
last stretch in Central Park. We had two first- Time Abbott World Marathon major winners, and a major upset in the men's wheelchair division as well. On the women's Wheelchair side, it was domination. So let's get right to it. We've got four great conversations with Abdi Nageeye, our men's champion, Sheila Chepkirui on the women's side, and then two Americans
in the wheelchair division, Susannah Scaroni, and Daniel Romanchuk. The men's champion in the 2024 TCS, New York City Marathon, Abdi Nageeye from the Netherlands. Abdi, congratulations on the win.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
All right, so this is your fourth time coming to New York to run this marathon. You've been top five every single time, but today was the day you broke through for the win. What was the difference today that was able to get you to break the tape?
Actually very hard lesson and a little bit sad story, because of the Olympics, I failed so badly in Paris for myself. I was able there to go for the win, but my preparation, I tried too many new things and two weeks before the Olympics I did 20K tempo with exact the same time that I did when I was in winning the marathon in April in '24. But I knew something is wrong. I just felt, oh my
God, I did something wrong. And you can't make it good because it's two weeks to go. You have to taper now. And I knew I was going there with two zero behind. It was so painful and so hard. Even if I won silver medal, the previous Olympics in Tokyo in amazing way, but still it was hurting me so much. I was like, you know what? Let me go back to Kenya.
I called my manager Valentine and Yuri. I told them I want to go to New York, and they said, " It's actually already there for you." So I went back. Every day I was thinking about Paris, but every day I was training so good. Every track session was on the spot. And it's amazing, I tell you, that at the same time you feel something sad about it, but I
was keeping moving every day. I was doing my training, my training, and I was here just for the win. I was telling Valentine, my manager, " Oh, I'm looking more forward for the next season." And he was like, " Abdi, tomorrow we have New York." " Si. I know, I know. But I think if I had three weeks more for New York, I would be in top shape. But next season, oh, I'm going to show you guys something
nice." But I did it today, so, in the biggest marathon in the world.
It came a little early, didn't it? And so it happened all for you today. Do you think that what happened in Paris and you had a DNF there because of how you felt, you saved some energy obviously because of that. You didn't have to expend the amount of energy you would have if you had maybe won a medal
in Paris. And so maybe compared to some of the other runners in the race, the defending champion, Tamirat Tola, won gold but wasn't quite there today to have that energy left. Did it help you, in a strange way, to have not been able to give everything you had in Paris?
Absolutely. I'm very true about that. I'm very honest, I mean, about that, because I was reading everyone and I realized, oh my God, here are the last six- year champions. But look at each one, the winner of 2021, oh my god, I'm so bad in names. For that guy, I knew, okay, he can beat me in speed. Chebet, he had a little bit tough half year. Tola and Bashir, they finished the Olympics. Geoffrey Kamworor is also coming
from a tough time. Even me, I had one month off, but I was like, I think I'm more hungry than them because when you win medal, all this ceremony you have to do, all this, all that. You go a little bit later, you become the focus, you will find later. And I was able to find the real focus in four or five weeks, which is even late. But still, I think I was more hungry than them.
Yeah. The marathon season can fall out in different ways. Each race can have an effect on the next race, and so sometimes the chips just fall into place for someone, and today they fell into place for you. And New York really seems to be a place you're quite comfortable running. What is it about this course that has brought out the best in you, not just today, but the other times you've run as well?
To be honest, from my opinion, three defeat. Because the other three marathons, two of them, I was defeated actually at 25K, I think it's the Brooklyn Bridge. The long one. Chebet was flying there 2022. I was like, oh, this guy's a leaf. And I tried to follow him and then at the end I stopped because I looked back and we had 150 meter gap from the other group. We were sprinting there. And today even he was sprinting
there crazy. I heard (inaudible) mile 420, which is crazy. So my goal was I'll not be defeated at the bridge, and my race, actually I was keeping second all the time. It was under 36 kilometers. That was my race. I was like, if I'm a 36, I'll win the race. So I was thinking in term of cyclings, they have two big climb, let's say 150 kilometers, a hundred meters to a hundred kilometers to go.
But some guys will say, if I survive that hill and I don't let go of the group, I'll win even if it's 50 kilometers to go. So me, I was like, even if the race have to start, marathon start at 36, at 35, I will be there at 36. The last drink. And I was holding, I think the last one to drink there, taking my gel, my drink, and I was like, okay, my race starting
now and I'm going to win. So that was my two homework, and from hard lessons I have learned.
I love the mental preparation that you had, the plan that you had. I love the fact that you even talk about cycling and taking that approach to a marathon. And with the hills we have here in New York, it makes a lot of sense. So clearly the mental game, you were on it, you were really on it today, and that clearly was a big part of why you were so successful.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And also another thing was I really wanted any funny escapes, like last time with the Brazilian guy. So even if someone tries, and I know they are not the five winners, with the all due respect, they will be less league than me. But I was like, okay, no fun and games. I let them know I'm here and the group will come behind me. They will go again. I
will close the gap very quick. And also like, you are better close now than if you are with the group that are closing, even they have to use another speed when they're closing to us, that means we are running easier. So I prefer that I put my closing earlier, my speed, than later. So I was like, no funny escapes. I will wait for the big guys. And when Tola was coming, I was like, okay, the race is starting now.
Yes, yes. Exactly.
So I was pretending like I'm commentator when I was running. I was commentating myself in the race. I was like, okay, now the big guys are coming. The real work is starting now. Chebet, Tola, Geoffrey. Okay. Okay.
I love it. I love it. We should put a mic on you some time and let you talk during the race, give commentary while you run. I think you'd be pretty good at it. You're very, very good at talking about this. Talk a bit about you and your story, for those who don't know you, as a first time winner in New York. You moved to Ethiopia, sorry, to the Netherlands I should say, at the age of six
years old. What brought you to the Netherlands and how has your life evolved since that time in your childhood?
Yeah, first of all, I'm like Nomad. I'm Nomad person and my generations, my family were nomads, camel nomads. So they were moving with their camels where rain was.
Nomads. Nomads.
Nomads, yes. And I still have that in my life. We had civil war sadly in Somalia. It was an amazing country with a dictator and we had a very bad civil war. So we went to Netherlands for better life and then I had a brother who decided he didn't want to stay in the Netherlands. So we moved, we went to Syria, when it was safe, in 1999. So I was still in primary school when we left
the Netherlands, only after four years. We stayed there for three years. Then we went back to Somalia. I stayed there for two years and by that time I was like 15 years old and I went back to farming with my father. And I remember one day the farm was growing. Still, I still like farming. So we had melons and maize, but then I was like, this is not the life
I want. You know? You have three acres, you eat this next after three months you have to put it again. There's no challenge. I want to go to school. I want to be a lawyer. I want to be something. And as 15, 14 years old, in the farm alone, with greens and river and everything, and I was just thinking by myself and I decided to go back to the Netherlands. I went to Ethiopia, to the embassy of the Netherlands,
I told them I used to live in the Netherlands. My brother brought me back. I want to go back. But they were like, " No, you're a teenager. You're not allowed to go back. You need a family." So I found a Dutch family who were there in Addis for vacation. I met them, they're still my best friends. I was just calling them after I called my wife. They were the second I called.
Wow.
Their kids are so they got Somalis names. They came from a small village, all white village. And they took me in their home and I know all the village there, everyone I know there. I stayed with them two, three years. And because of them I started running because it was a typical Dutch birthday celebration. And a family member said, "
I hear you play football and you're very fast. You have a vocation, so can you come run with me?" I was like, " Run? What do you mean run?" " Yeah, we run, we train." I said, " But what do you mean, like go to the field for two laps?" "No, no, no, we just go from this place to that place.' I said,-
Run the roads.
..." What is that?" That world was closed for me. I just knew football, Soccer in Holland.
Yes.
So I was like, "What do you mean running?" And then Yantina, the family, her mother, she was like, "Abdi, go with him, go with him." And I said, " I'm not going." Then he said, " There's a small race in the the village next to us next week on Sunday, come with me." And I went there and I literally wasn't warming up. I didn't do warming up. I was like, " I will get tired." So
I was hiding myself somewhere. And then I started the race, the whole family came, the grandmother, all my family, my new family, and I was just thinking to survive that
five kilometers, not to be embarrassed. So during the race I was telling the people, " How long is it going?" Or, " Which kilometer are we?" And they were seeing me, this skinny looking Ethiopian guy and all the runners, they know Kenyans and Ethiopians, they were thinking I was making fun of them, but I was serious about where's the finish and
how long it's taking and I was just talking. And I ran 17 minute, I think, I win the race.
You ran 17 minutes?
17 minutes.
In your first ever road race in a 5K?
Yeah, with just gym shoes. And from there, oh my god, it was love at the first sight. That small finish, sprint to the finish, I still have the picture. And yeah, it was, wow. When the guy asked me, " What's your running club?" " What's your club?", he said. And I told him the soccer club. He's like, " What's the name?" He never heard that, but he wanted to hear a running club.
Incredible.
I never had a running club. From there, in less than three months, I decided to run full. If I want to do I go full for it. And I was like, I think it's my destiny. That's what I was looking for.
It was clearly your destiny. That's an incredible story. Amazing the difference that a person can make just suggesting something like that. And now here you are champion of the TCS, New York City Marathon. And the club that you run with now, an actual running club, the NN Club is one that has some pretty prestigious runners alongside you as well. You've
run with Eliud Kipchoge, among others. What has being a part of that and running with a guy like Kipchoge and learning from him, what has that done for you as a runner to mature everything that you know about the sport?
It'll sound that I'm trying to get credit of Eliud, but I think he was the reason I won today in New York. Because when I knew what I did wrong in Paris, I knew the training program of Kaptagat. When I was there with Eliud and Coach Patrick Sang, that was my program. That is the program I can respond well. And I was like, " Why I didn't do it?" And I did that program for
I think 80%. The other 20% (inaudible) , but 80% it was the way Eliud trains, he don't change things. It's like why did you change? Look at Eliud. He will win London in amazing time. He will come back and do the same what he did. Winning Berlin, (inaudible) , coming back doing the same what he did. Winning Tokyo coming back. Winning Olympic champ. I was there when he was doing breaking two in EOS all the time,
for four years long. You never see him changing anything. And I was so, so angry to myself, " Why did you change?" And I was looking like I was taking example of him and I did his program for 80%. And so yeah, big inspire friend, and inspiring guy for me.
Wow. It's just so interesting to listen to the learning process and you clearly have learned a lot. You've learned from yourself and your challenges. When you have a failure, you take something from it. You've learned from Kipchoge. So everything you've figured out and you put together this win here today. I can't wait to see what you're going to do going forward because you clearly have figured this
out and you have the talent. What do you want to do next? What's next in your list of goals?
Actually, I was telling my manager yesterday that I'm looking forward for the next season. I'm looking forward to running very fast times to win majors. I think I've got the formula now, but also Michael was telling me, he's a very experienced coach, he said, " The moment you figure out everything, it's almost your finishing time. Your finishing area. Then you got age
when you finish because of the experience." So we said, " Bill, you are a little bit lucky that you already tried so many things." I was never afraid to try new things and every failure I was coming back after every failure. So I hope I have three years with less mistakes and that I can go with this formula for the next couple of seasons until the next Olympics in LA.
I like your chances and I congratulate you on your win today Abdi. We're thrilled to have you as our new champion in New York. All the best and enjoy this.
Thank you so much.
And we are here with TCS New York City Marathon women's champion, Sheila Chepkirui from Kenya. Sheila, you won this race in your first ever time out here in the New York City Marathon. How did you do it? First time winner.
First of all I went thank God. Secondly, I'm so happy. I think I did it because of my training. My training was going on well in Kenya. After I did the mini 10K, I had a privilege to go and start from bridge up to the finish.
You ran the last 10 miles, right?
Yes.
Of the marathon course when you were here in June to run the MasterCard mini 10K.
Yes.
So you had a little idea of what was in store for you?
Yes, and I thought the course was amazing. I'm really happy for the win today.
Tell me, when did you think you had this race won? This was so close all the way through. There was a pack together for a long time and then really down to the last mile or two, it was you Helen Obiri, our defending champion, going at it head- to- head. When did you feel that it was going to be your day?
Around one mile to go. Helen tried to push and I pushed and she was not responding, and when we were at around 600 meters to go, I pushed and Ellen didn't come. And at 400 meters to go, I knew I'm going to win it.
Yes. And I was at the finish line and saw you come into sight and yeah, Helen was a good bit behind you at that point. So you just had that little bit extra. Sheila you've been knocking on the door in major marathons recently. You're a top five finisher in both Berlin and London in 2023. You were sixth in London earlier this year. So this has been coming,
this breakthrough. Did you feel when you flew to New York for this race that perhaps this would be the day for you to win a major?
I knew I was going to do well, but because Helen, Sharon, was from Paris, I knew they were a little tired. For me, I was fresh and I knew I am going to do something.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Just that little bit of extra rest that you had not running the Olympics, maybe it was what you needed. We saw a bit of that on the men's side as well. So talk about New York. This is now your second time ever here after coming this summer. Do you like the city? What is it like for you to compete here, to get the energy from the crowds we have on the streets
here? How do you like this city?
The city of New York is amazing. The crowd all the way it was so amazing. Really nice to be here.
I think you're going to like it a lot more now as you come away with this championship. Maybe you'll want to come back. And I want to hear about your life in Kenya. This is the first time I've met a champion of a marathon who is also an active member of the military. You are a corporal in the Kenyan Defense Force, is that right?
Yes, that's right.
What is your job?
In Kenya I joined KDF forces through sports. They employed me because I was an athlete. So in KDF I'm in the sights of sports and they support us. They give us time for training and I'm grateful to defend forces.
Yeah, I was going to say it must be so hard to balance those things, but you really are using your success in sports to help train people in the military, which makes a lot of sense. It's going to be very exciting for you now to come back to Kenya, not just with your family, your six- year- old daughter as well, but also with your fellow members of the military. And what about your daughter and your husband
back home? Have you had a chance to communicate with them at all since he won the race?
Yes I have. They are so excited.
I can imagine. I can imagine how excited they must be. And I know it hasn't been easy for you to get to New York. You had some immigration problems in the past, but we were able to get you here. And so maybe next time you come back and defend your championship here, you can bring your family along as well.
Of course, yes.
It must be so exciting. And this was clearly a race you dug deep for, right? You really had to find everything deep down inside to win this. What do you think this will mean for you in the future as you look ahead to your career? Do you think this will help you build on this and maybe become a multi major winner? What do you want to do next?
Yes, this is so... I'm so happy. This is a milestone. This keep me moving for more wins in the future. So I have to go back and work extra hard.
Because it's not easy when you are a Kenyan marathon runner to break through. I mean, there are so much talent in this sport in your country that so much of your competition is your country women, right? Your fellow Kenyans. So to win one and to win it over someone like Helen Obiri, right, it has to be something that can give you a lot more confidence stepping up and running more races against them.
Yes, in Kenya we are so many strong female athletes. So for me, I'll go and work extra hard, no sleeping, a lot of sacrifices. I have to do a lot of sacrifices.
Well, I think you've earned a little bit of sleep tonight and maybe over the next week or so. So we'll see you at the celebration dinner and hopefully you get a really good rest before you head home to Kenya. Congratulations Sheila. We're so thrilled to have you as our new champion.
Thank you.
It was a dominant win in the women's wheelchair division for American Susannah Scaroni. She joins us now on Set the Pace. Susanna, incredible win. Congratulations.
Thank you so much.
So you just ran away and hid with this race. You came out of the gate hot and you just never looked back. What was it inside you today that allowed you to just go out and dominate this really talented field?
Yeah, honestly, I've been feeling so good the last several months. Thankfully in Paris I felt pretty good. I did get a little sick while I was there, but then for Berlin I felt awesome. Chicago I felt so good, but I ended up getting a flat tire in mile
three. So I think with how good I felt in Chicago and having to not have the performance I was hoping for there, and then back in the spring not to have a great performance, or I actually had to pull out of Boston and London due to a shoulder injury, and this was the last major of the year and I was like, I just prayed so much that I could just show what my body could do today
and I wanted to see what it could do the whole time.
Yeah, clearly the shoulder's feeling better. Based on the way-
Yeah.
... you performed today. This is two wins in New York in three years for you. What were you able to draw on from your win here two years ago to help you out today?
Yeah, that's a great question. So two years ago we had sort of opposite wind where most of the race was more of a tailwind and it really was the last six miles, especially fifth ave, where you were faced with a huge wind. And I remember despite the fact that I was leading, you never know what can happen. I was dead those last six miles. And today, I
knew the wind was... We had a pretty decent wind, not terrible, but a decent wind, the whole race until the end. So today I knew that when I got to 20 I was going to have a little bit more favorable conditions. So at least I had that kind of experience. I knew it would be a little bit different and I was so thankful to have a tailwind on Fifth Avenue.
Yeah, absolutely. When you're out there by yourself as much as you were today, and you were alone most of the race, what are you able to draw on to motivate? You had some great crowds out there today, I'm sure that helped.
Yeah. There were incredible crowds and I always draw on the crowd. That's so nice. And for me personally, I love watching my speed and seeing, okay, how can I make this pace feel a little easier? So I'm all about economy and it's kind of a thing that I've always been drawn to. And so, I love pushing by myself in some ways just to try and see what can I do to make this a little faster and feel a little bit better.
You are really becoming quite the successful athlete here in New York. Not just the Marathon wins, but the United Airlines NYC half, the MasterCard Mini 10K. You think maybe you'll get a place here? I mean maybe you should become a resident or at least get a little address here. What do you think?
I know. I will say that food options are a lot better in New York City than they are in Champaign, Illinois. And so we'll see about that. Dorian keeps me here a lot though. So grateful for the chance to come here and race.
We love having you here. And what does it mean for you? We've had a chance to talk so many times. We've loved having you on the podcast. I've seen you at so many majors. You're such an inspiration for so many young athletes. You have actually helped with our wheelchair training program at New York Roadrunners and helping to
inspire young girls and boys to enter this sport. What does it mean for you to put up yet another win here in New York and what kind of feedback do you get from young people when you have these successes?
Yeah. I think first of all, racing in New York City is like racing at the Paralympic games in terms of the field and just the respect that we have as athletes I would say. And so a win here is always something that's extremely special, especially at the full marathon. And I know after having gone through life as a kid with a disability on a sports team, the athletes that you really do kind of see more often
are the ones that have had some success. And so I know how much that those athletes inspired me as a kid, and so it's just so refreshing to just know that the sport is progressing, more and more people and kids are seeing it and that is something I'm very grateful for.
Where do you go from here? Are you going to race a lot more through the end of the year or are you going to take a little time off?
I don't know if I'd say race is the right word, but I will be competing at the Boston half next weekend with my mother- in- law, who is trying to do a half in every state, which will be really fun.
Cool.
And then after that, the next weekend I go to Japan for a full marathon. And that's, I'm going to take it as a fun, sort of fun marathon. So then after that I will have an end to my racing season.
All right, well you have earned a little fun.
Yeah.
You've earned a little break. But for now, enjoy this victory.
Thank you.
We're so thrilled to see you win here in New York and so thrilled to call you Champion yet again.
Thank you so much.
And we are here with the men's champion of the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon in the wheelchair division, Daniel Romanchuk. Congratulations.
Thank you.
Tell me about the race. It looked like it was a pretty competitive one, tight right up through the end. When did you think you had this one won?
Absolutely. It was pretty much a pack of four and probably, unfortunately, Marcel had almost went over and I think he scraped up his hand so he was starting to lose grip. It would've probably been a four- man finish all the way through. The first time it really crossed my mind that I might have this was really when I heard the presenter at the finish line saying, " Here's Daniel Romanchuk."
And I didn't hear anyone else immediately after that. So I'd say that was really when I first was starting to think I might have this.
Daniel, you've had success here in New York for sure. This is your third win here in New York. You won an '18 and '19 as well. What is it about this course, this city, that works for you?
I think it's an amazing course. I grew up in Mount Airy Maryland and so I grew up climbing hills, so I love all of the bridges and I love climbing the bridges. But my sister and brother- in- Law also live here, so it's always great to see them when I'm here.
Looking at it from the vehicle and I was coming alongside you guys for a while in a police vehicle. I can't imagine how one would like climbing those bridges. That looks like a lot, a lot of work. And then descending them, another situation as well. But it just seems to work for you. Do you train on the bridges a lot or on hills I mean? Is that a big part of your plan to get ready for these races?
Actually, for about a week before races like New York, I do like to go out back to Mount Airy to train and get used to the hills again. But primarily I train out in Champaign, Illinois.
Yeah, so-
Pretty flat out there.
Absolutely. Well speaking of flat, you had some success on the track as well in Paris at the Paralympic Games. Gold in the 5, 000 meters. How have you been able to balance speed and work on the track with doing what you're doing on the roads?
I think it was certainly a pretty quick transition here to the road, but we also had the marathon at the games as well. And so I think our coach kind of kept us in a little bit of a more distance mode in general. So maybe not specifying quite so much a track than in a typical year, but I leave most of that stuff just to Adam.
That makes sense. Just do what you're told. Right?
Yep.
Sometimes it's easier than doing that much thinking. Well this must be a nice moment for you and you're having a really nice year, not just in terms of your competition, but your personal life. You just got married.
Thank you.
What's it feel like, and were you able to share this at all with your new wife?
Absolutely. She was able to come up to New York to watch everything, so it's absolutely great having her here.
That's awesome. It must feel great. Now, is this the end of your season really, to be able to come back and reflect on what a year you've had between your performance here, Paris?
Not quite yet. I've got one more race next week and then the season's over.
And where do you see yourself going next year? I mean, you've really asserted yourself as obviously one of the very best in this sport. You are near the front of the pack and pretty much every race you run. What are your goals? What do you want to improve, what do you want to do next year that you haven't already done this year?
I'll probably take a little bit more time to really think about that. Yeah, I think right now I'm doing a lot of work with nonprofit that I've formed, Wheels for Change. And so that's keeping me busy at a little bit.
What does that do?
So that is basically providing wheelchair racing equipment for, it's got two branches, one internationally and one domestic. The domestic basically just helps kids get onto their school track program just quickly. So we just have a loan closet of equipment that we could probably send out and so that way they're not having to wait to raise the funds to get a chair and then get the chair produced.
And very similar international branch.
And you're also working as an engineer as well, right? Studying engineering to try to improve the quality of racing chairs. Is that something you're working on also?
So I do work with Top End on just trying to increase the performance of the equipment. But also in recent years, as I mentioned with the school program, raising funds. A basic racing chair costs $ 5, 000.
Yeah. Yeah.
And so I think we're also trying to figure out how to bring down the cost of high- performing equipment.
Absolutely. Well you're obviously a great role model to kids who want to get into this sport. You're also making it easier for them to do that. So congratulations on everything you're doing and congrats on a great, great day here. We're thrilled to have you as our champion yet again here in New York.
Oh, thank you for having me.
All right, that does it for another episode of Set the Pace and another TCS New York City Marathon in the books. It was an incredible day. We'll talk more about the full day and for all the runners, the great weather, the record crowds we saw today, that'll come up in our next episode. But for now, I want to thank the great champions we had today, Abdi Nageeye,
Sheila Chepkirui, Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni. If you liked this episode, make sure you subscribe, rate it, leave a comment. We will see you in just a few days. Hope everybody out there who ran the marathon today, had a great, great day. See you next time.
Peloton offers a wide variety of running and walking content to spice up your workouts, featuring world- class trainers who inspire and challenge you. Whether you're hitting the pavement with guided workouts on the Peloton app or pushing it on the Tread, Peloton is your perfect running companion, dedicated to enhancing your running routine and helping you achieve your fitness
goals. All access membership separate. Learn more about Peloton Tread at onepeloton. com forward slash running. Find the Peloton app in the Apple, Android and Google App stores today.