Set the Pace

Joining the show this week is Vanessa Peralta-Mitchell, the founder of Game Changers, a program that aims to encourage and support more women of color to become certified run coaches. Launched in 2020, the program was born out of Vanessa’s realization that very few running coaches and experts in the industry looked like her—and her desire to change that. Since then, the program has guided nationwide across 29 states in addition to Washington, D.C. A wife, mother of three, and daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, she credits her mother for being her ultimate inspiration to reach for her dreams and build her own business. Interested in joining? Applications are now open for this year’s Game Changers cohort. This marks the second year that Game Changers is partnering with New York Road Runners, which includes a coaching apprenticeship with NYRR Group Training in NYC. Apply to Game Changers NY Cohort here: bit.ly/VCPMGameChangersNYC2026 Sign up for the Game Changers Q&A here: bit.ly/GCNYC26QArsvp Follow GameChangers: @GameChangersRun www.vcpm.com/game-changers 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.DISCLAIMERSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our first episode of the year, Rob speaks with ABC sports anchor Sam Ryan, who has helped tell the stories of NYRR races and the running community. A runner herself, Sam has lived those stories too—completing 13 marathons, including four New York City Marathons, and serving as an NYRR Team for Kids ambassador. The last time Sam was on the show, it was just two days before the Boston Marathon. Since then, she’s added Chicago to her marathon list and, this week, ran the NYRR Midnight Run, 10 years after her last New Year’s Eve race. She talks about how focusing on strength training and overall fitness has helped her continue to chase her goals. Also joining the show for the Member Moment is Christina Gibbons, a New York Road Runners member who, four years ago, wasn’t sure she could run a full mile. Since then, she has completed four half marathons. Christina tells Meb how slowing down her pace helped her go the distance. 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.

Your winter gift from Set the Pace. Head out for a run as Rob and Becs revisit some of the most powerful words shared on Set the Pace this year. These are the moments our guests return to when things get hard. The phrases they repeat when they need to keep going. The mantras that carry them FORWARD. You’ll hear from teachers and Olympians, Peloton instructors and physical therapists, CEOs, run-club founders, and members of the Set the Pace community — each offering a simple truth that helped them through, mile after mile after mile. Take these 26 running mantras with you for a run over the holidays and let them lead you into a 2026 that brings you a healthier life and a stronger community, through the transformative power of running. CHAPTER GUIDE (timecodes) 0:00 — Intro02:54 — Mantra 1: Rob Simmelkjaer03:25 — Mantra 2: Vinnie Guadagnino06:42 — Mantra 3: Martinus Evans05:23 — Mantra 4: Randi Zuckerberg07:40 — Mantra 5: Corey Wharton-Malcolm08:39 — Mantra 6: Dr. Melissa Melkonian09:47 — Mantra 7: Jeffrey McEachern11:08 — Mantra 8: Vinnie Guadagnino11:59 — Mantra 9: Nenna Lynch13:06 — Mantra 10: Mallory Kilmer13:48 — Mantra 11: Kenneth Rooks14:40 — Mantra 12: Ali Truwit16:22 — Mantra 13: Kirra Michel17:43 — Mantra 14: Nick Thompson19:23 — Mantra 15: Mohammed Saad20:48 — Mantra 16: Ali Truwit22:05 — Mantra 17: Sharon Lokedi26:51 — Mantra 18: Susannah Sullivan28:56 — Mantra 19: Tiki Barber30:38 — Mantra 20: Mike the Curican31:52 — Mantra 21: Alison Mariella Désir34:38 — Mantra 22: Nikki Hiltz36:16 — Mantra 23: Jenny Simpson37:29 — Mantra 24: Ted Metellus38:46 — Mantra 25: Becs Gentry39:00 — Mantra 26: Meb Keflezighi 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.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora joins Rob and Becs for this week’s Set the Pace. One of the most recognizable figures in sports, Alex is a World Series–winning manager, a regular presence in Boston headlines, and someone whose every decision is analyzed by millions of Red Sox fans. Recently, Alex has also become a runner—starting with short races then progressing to a half marathon and ultimately to the start line of the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon this past November 2. He opens up about the thrill of getting his bib only four weeks before race day and how meaningful it was to run the entire marathon course alongside his partner. They crossed the finish line to cheers from his sons holding a sign that read, “Will you marry, Dad?” Plus, Meb speaks with Simone Swink, Senior Executive Producer of the “Good Morning America” (GMA) franchise. On November 2, Simone and 27 fellow ABC News colleagues participated in a special “Good Morning America” TCS New York City Marathon relay, raising funds for NYRR Team for Kids. 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.

This week’s guest is Caitlin Phillips, a 43-year-old runner who ran a 2:36 at Sunday’s California International Marathon (CIM), qualifying for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials. Caitlin shares with Rob and Becs what it took to achieve this amazing feat while working full-time and returning to competition postpartum after giving birth in 2023. She breaks down what makes the CIM course ideal for sub-elite athletes and reflects on the strong sense of community she felt racing alongside runners she’s connected with over the years. Also joining the podcast for the Member Moment is Dr. Melissa Melkonian, founder of The American Dream School in the Bronx, a dual-language charter school created to help students and families pursue their own version of the American Dream. She’s inspired dozens of teachers, parents, and staff to take on their first marathon, using running as a tool for empowerment and community building.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.