NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer On The Post-Pandemic Running Boom's Effect On Demands For Races, Transforming Communities
The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show
CITIUS MAG
4.9 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 5 June 2024
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
"I think anyone who has run, who has made running a part of their life, knows that it really does transform us as people. No matter what it is that we want to accomplish in life, we think that it makes everybody better by creating that habit of being physically active, moving your body, whether it's physical health or mental health. So we're hoping that this new way of talking about our mission and what we do will draw more people into the sport, into our community, and get people moving."
My guest for this episode is NYRR Rob Simmelkjaer, who also has a podcast of his own – Set The Pace. We’re at a point where we’ve got his boom happening. More than ever before, people are getting into running, joining clubs/crews/teams/training groups. NYRR puts on countless events in the city. I’m biased and think it’s got the best running community in the world.
So let’s take a look at the state of running and how someone like Rob and NYRR are striking that balance to accommodate so many people. Plus, we touch on his experience as an executive at ESPN and on-air talent at NBC has helped with the storytelling side to bridge the gap between the everyday runner and the elites.
Time Stamps:
3:51 - Sharing about his recent half marathon performance.
4:53 - His first two years leading NYRR as the CEO.
6:54 - What Global Running Day means to NYRR + upcoming NYRR events.
9:38 - How NYRR decided on their mission statement.
12:20 - What he hopes to accomplish as CEO of NYRR + core pillars of NYRR’s mission.
16:17 - The direction he hopes to steer NYRR towards.
18:47 - How working at ESPN and NBC Sports helped prepare him for his role at NYRR.
22:27 - His thoughts on how to bridge the gap between elite runners and everyday runners in the running community.
25:46 - How he got into the sport of running.
28:34 - How working for NYRR rekindled his love for running.
31:05 - Thoughts on how to continue growing the running community.
33:22 - The role of running groups in helping grow the sport.
38:56 - More thoughts on the role of running groups in growing the running community.
41:27 - Rapid fire NYC-related questions
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Support for the City Smack Podcast comes from New Balance Running. |
| 0:06.3 | May has been a month of celebrating Grade Days. |
| 0:09.4 | New Balance unveiled a whole line of Grade 327, 574's, 550s, and tons of gray apparel. |
| 0:17.0 | It's a celebration of the color that New Balance has been synonymous with since the 1980s. |
| 0:22.0 | They actually put together a very cool short film on the New Balance |
| 0:25.4 | YouTube channel that commemorates the brand and the emblem of Gray. My favorite part actually |
| 0:30.2 | was the cameo by New Balance National 60 meter champion and N. |
| 0:33.7 | N. I. L. athlete Brianna Selby. |
| 0:36.6 | The thinking behind all of this was that Gray popped as a perfect compliment to the concrete |
| 0:40.9 | and asphalt in urban road running. |
| 0:43.8 | It just looks good. |
| 0:45.2 | I have a pair of gray 990s that I wear out casually, |
| 0:48.6 | and now it's your time to hit the gray shop |
| 0:51.5 | and head over to New Balance.com slash running for all the latest and their best sellers |
| 0:57.2 | Explore gray at new balance.com. Thanks to new balance for their continued support of all things Citius Mag. |
| 1:04.0 | Hello everybody and welcome back to the Citius Mag podcast. |
| 1:10.0 | I'm Chris Chavez and this is my show where I chat with some of the biggest names on the track, on the roads within the coaching ranks and across the running industry. |
| 1:16.5 | Our guests sit down and open up in depth to share their experiences, brilliant insights and vivid snapshots from their professional and personal |
| 1:22.8 | accomplishments within the sport. Before we hit our interview we love giving |
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| 1:35.3 | This week's review comes to us from AC Farrell who wrote and said, |
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