1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,480 All right, welcome to the AdaptX podcast where we have conversations with individuals 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,440 who are building inclusive and accessible products advocating for inclusion or excelling 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:08,880 in adaptive sports. 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,720 My intention is never to speak on behalf of those with disabilities, but give them a platform 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,000 to amplify their voice and ideas. 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:20,200 Today we are joined by Becca Pizzi, a mom, runner, author, coach, business owner, nonprofit 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,040 director and probably way more. 8 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,600 I put mom first because I think it's what you'd consider your greatest accomplishment 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,760 as I do with my son. 10 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:28,760 Did I miss anything? 11 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,520 I think you got it all. 12 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,520 I think I got it all. 13 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,560 You're known for a lot, but probably most noticeably you're running. 14 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,200 You've taken on and accomplished insane challenges. 15 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,720 You've inspired me personally to strive for more and you've been so gracious to me with 16 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:42,720 your time over the year. 17 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,080 So I very much appreciate your friendship. 18 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,640 To me, it's like being friends with Michael Jordan of running. 19 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,580 So I'm not even sure where to start, but maybe at the beginning. 20 00:00:52,580 --> 00:00:58,640 So a lot of these conversations are about adaptive fitness and inclusion, but also very 21 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,540 passionate about the endurance sports space. 22 00:01:00,540 --> 00:01:05,300 So we'll talk about, I think mostly running and endurance sports today and we'll maybe 23 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:09,060 transition to a discussion on how they can be more inclusive and accessible. 24 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:12,520 But what got you into running initially? 25 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:18,480 I ran my first race with my dad in my hometown when I was six years old and I won my age 26 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:24,480 group because I was actually the only one in my age group, which I learned years later. 27 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:29,440 I was like, well, and they gave me like all this stuff, like backpacks and shirts, and 28 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,000 they just thought it was so cute that I was running with my dad. 29 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,480 And I just remember getting in the car and thinking like, that was really fun. 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,120 I really liked doing that. 31 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,760 And then I just competed in middle school and then I loved it. 32 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:46,280 And especially the bond between runners, because I grew up playing soccer as well. 33 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:51,160 And runners really have an incredible unbreakable bond and the support. 34 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:58,440 And then I ran in high school and then I ran in college and the journey's been incredible. 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,800 I get to see the world doing what I love. 36 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,760 It's really been awesome. 37 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:08,560 That's what I say with my work, how it's introduced me to incredible people and it definitely 38 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,600 hasn't taken me to the depths of the world like yours has. 39 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:17,400 But I don't know if I would want to go there anyway, so I'm content with where it's brought 40 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:18,400 me. 41 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,200 I don't want to get too far along with maybe like without kind of hooking people as to 42 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,880 everything you've accomplished over the last few years. 43 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,640 So 2016, you completed the World Marathon Challenge. 44 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:32,920 So seven marathons in seven days, seven consecutive days on seven continents. 45 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,680 You repeated that again a couple of years later, first person to do it twice. 46 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,920 Not only finished those marathons, but you won many of them. 47 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:43,880 And then you embarked on the 50 marathons in 50 states. 48 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,160 So you've run a marathon in every state that you recently wrapped up. 49 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:53,480 And as if that wasn't enough, you went and did Kona a few weeks ago as well last month. 50 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,680 And then as soon as I texted you after that and asked how you were feeling and I thought 51 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,440 you had taken on every challenge and then I see pictures in my feed that you're running 52 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,060 a marathon on a volcano. 53 00:03:03,060 --> 00:03:08,400 So I'm not sure where it ends for you, but what do you have something that's coming up 54 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,640 next, anything that you can kind of train towards? 55 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:17,480 Yeah, I'm running well, Feast or five because I love a good Thanksgiving race and the feast 56 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,520 or five gives these awesome pies that are like really awesome. 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:24,120 But the next endurance race is the Antarctica Marathon. 58 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:30,160 It's my fourth time running Antarctica and I'm just blown away every time I go to Antarctica. 59 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:35,280 It is just so prestigious and beautiful and I feel so lucky to be there. 60 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:41,000 So I've recently taken on the role of race director of Antarctica Marathon, which to 61 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:46,640 me is like a dream, you know, I get to race direct and run the Antarctica Marathon. 62 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,320 So we ran, you know, you land on a glacier and you're running on a glacier. 63 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:52,920 It's just so different and unbelievably awesome. 64 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:58,280 So I look forward to going, but every single year when I'm there, I'm like, ah, this might 65 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,680 be the last year for me because I'm just really cold with those thoughts. 66 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:03,680 I'm freezing. 67 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:09,120 And then I watched the Russian illusion military plane come in, pick us up and drop us off. 68 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:10,120 And it's awesome. 69 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,720 How many people do you think will participate in that? 70 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:13,720 There will be 50. 71 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,200 We cap out the race at 50 just so we can kind of keep an eye on everybody. 72 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,760 What are the main like safety contraindications that are concerns? 73 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,520 That you're running on a glacier and that it kind of zings like, you know, you don't 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,740 know if it's going to rip open or you're going to, you know, like it's, it's really terrifying, 75 00:04:29,740 --> 00:04:34,780 but they, they do it on the safety team does an unbelievable job at prepping the course 76 00:04:34,780 --> 00:04:37,920 and makes making sure that we're totally, totally safe. 77 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,880 And, but the hardest part is the winds of Antarctica. 78 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,040 It's freezing. 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:47,960 It's so cold, but you, you go out and you get the proper gear and you're comfortable 80 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:53,320 within reason somewhat comfortable as you can be running a marathon. 81 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:59,920 There's four 10 K loops and lap three always tends to be like the never ending lap, but 82 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:04,480 out of the four laps, but you just kind of take it one mile at a time when, and the sun 83 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:05,480 is blinding. 84 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:10,320 So oftentimes we run the race at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. we just go off of safety of what's 85 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:11,320 a good time. 86 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,600 When's it going to be the less windiest and it tends to be a two or three in the morning, 87 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:20,040 but still because of summer in Antarctica, the sun is blinding. 88 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,800 It's like really, really bright and in your face, but you have the proper gear, sunglasses 89 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,480 and stuff. 90 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,240 What kind of first introduced you to that world marathon challenge? 91 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,960 A lot of friends were emailing me about it. 92 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,560 It went, it was on Nesson. 93 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,640 It was on like one of the sports channels here. 94 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:40,080 And then my friends that know me read, heard about it and they're like, Becca, you should 95 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,080 do this. 96 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,520 Like you, you know, an American female has never done it. 97 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,600 All you have to do is run it and complete it. 98 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,760 And I thought, yeah, that's, that's pretty awesome. 99 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,400 And then I saw the $50,000 price tag. 100 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,480 So I was like, okay, who can help me? 101 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,360 So I got endorsed for people to help me out, to run it. 102 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:01,920 But, but when I, when I read about the 777, I could not stop thinking about it. 103 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,440 I'm like, no, I really feel like I was born to run that race, you know? 104 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:11,240 And every time I bring an idea to my parents, they're like, no, we're down. 105 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:16,960 No, this is like, cause every single time I, my dreams get scarier and bigger. 106 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,740 And they're like, no, we're done with, you know, and the, the one thing like, you know, 107 00:06:21,740 --> 00:06:25,200 so telling, talk, telling them I'm doing this, I need your support. 108 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,800 And you know, so they always wrote back in, they throw a little tantrums and they get 109 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,160 a little mad and they kind of come back in and help me and support me. 110 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,960 That was one of the things that was just kind of like crossing my mind as I prepped for 111 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:36,960 our conversation. 112 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:41,240 Like a lot of people are content finishing a 5k and then they're content finishing a 113 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:42,240 marathon. 114 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,640 I'm content trying to shave a few seconds off our marathon and train a ton of hours 115 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,000 just to shave that like minute off our marathon. 116 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:54,720 Hopefully, I guess what kind of gave you the idea that like, you always have to strive 117 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,520 for more or that there's like more out there that you need to go after? 118 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:00,120 Life is too short. 119 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,520 You know, I keep reading about like all of all these events and I'm like, I think I'm 120 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:10,200 just drawn to the ultimate test of endurance and strength marathons. 121 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:15,600 And I'm really drawn to like, I read about a 50k and I'm like, oh, I think I can break 122 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,000 the course record, not just like run it, like break the course record. 123 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:25,040 So I love that feeling, you know, and I love the greatest thing about being me, I think 124 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:30,600 is the fans are so loyal and supportive and it means a lot to me. 125 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,080 So I like to make them proud and especially the young girls that yesterday I was at the 126 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:39,120 Feaster 5 Expo and I'm taking tons of pictures with first time girls running and boys and 127 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,480 it, it's something, you know, I'm sounding their bib and I'm like, wow, this is really 128 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:44,480 special for me. 129 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:45,480 You know, I really love it. 130 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:50,000 I love to be included and go to expos and any races. 131 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,720 I'll do just about anything, but I really do love the endurance marathons. 132 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:58,600 Yeah, you didn't hesitate to come out to our Expo, even though it was paled in comparison 133 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:04,240 like the Feaster 5, but you take on so many challenges with a high degree of uncertainty. 134 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:10,200 Yes, like for me, when Jacob and I travel for Marathons, it's such, it adds such a layer 135 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:15,440 of stress and like difficulty before you're even putting on what's supposed hardest part, 136 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:21,080 which is, so you seem comfortable kind of going out to come on. 137 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,960 Is that something that you guys? 138 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:30,440 I learned to not worry about anybody else and just to like put a race plan together 139 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:37,120 and to race my plan because for example, one of the girls in the volcano marathon was way 140 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:43,520 faster than me and you know, like she's like a 245 marathoner and I just said, you know, 141 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:49,000 you're trained and race your plan and don't worry about anything else, but all my life 142 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:53,760 I've been under a lot of pressure, you know, and so I've learned that I just need to set 143 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,880 two goals on a perfect goal day. 144 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,960 I'm going to do goal number A and everything's going to go well. 145 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:03,320 And then if A is not going so well, I have a backup plan for B. So I think it's important 146 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:08,040 to have two goals and, but I do, I don't tend to crack under pressure, you know, when I 147 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:14,200 was running 1730s, 5Ks in college and you know, everything has to go so smoothly for 148 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:15,200 that. 149 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:16,200 I just, I do well under pressure. 150 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,320 That's, that's a good thing for me, but I also like, I know that every time I go to 151 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:25,080 race that I'm well trained and prepped, you know, so I just hope my body holds up and 152 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:29,280 hangs on and you know, there's still different things like you guys broke sub three and Martha's 153 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:30,280 Vineyard. 154 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:31,280 I still haven't broken sub three yet. 155 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:32,840 So that would be a dream for me. 156 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,240 I'm only like 309. 157 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,600 So there's other things I want. 158 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:41,000 I want to rope it back in when I'm done with the endurance marathons and shoot for a fast, 159 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,880 a fast marathon. 160 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,760 So you got, you and Jacob definitely inspired me to do that. 161 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,040 I've been like, I saw you at Martha's Vineyard and I was like, wow, you guys just look so 162 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,240 strong and inspiring and everybody was cheering for you. 163 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,160 I don't know if you could like really grasp that people, cause I saw you on the out and 164 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,360 back and everybody was like cheering. 165 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:04,000 Yeah, I think I was, I was kind of out of it. 166 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,080 About halfway through is when maybe obviously a little more than halfway through is when 167 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:14,120 the half marathon joined the marathon course and we were on a bike path, which in my mind 168 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:15,880 felt like it was going to be good. 169 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,440 And then in execution, it was not cause everyone was on the bike. 170 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,520 So I spent a mile or two and I hate to yell. 171 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,080 Like even we do a ton of our running on the rail trail and I hate to yell like on your 172 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:31,120 left, but sometimes people like yell at me if I don't say anything and I kind of like 173 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,440 spook them and I'm never going to hit someone, but like they like to hear on your left. 174 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,680 And so I was just getting like frustrated and I knew I was trying to stay relaxed the 175 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:43,840 whole time and I had failed this like sub three attempt a few times. 176 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,840 So it was kind of already in the back of my mind that like, you're going to be good until 177 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:47,840 mile 20. 178 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:52,920 And then that's usually when the wheels fall off for, for us, but weaving through people 179 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:57,440 and then eventually I just moved to the road and ran along the side of the road. 180 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:05,520 But no, I, I was kind of, I guess my own or anyone or being inconvenience for anyone. 181 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,160 Cause I didn't want to affect that. 182 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:12,000 The only, the one comment I heard was that like mile 25 from someone who was like barely 183 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,640 running and she just goes, that doesn't look like it's good for your back. 184 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:21,040 And I was like, I was like, I'm zipping up, but that's okay. 185 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:25,120 But yeah, no, it was a, it was a good event and I'm glad to feel like a little bit of 186 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,080 a relief. 187 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,640 Maybe I like, I was going to ask you about the pressure. 188 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,440 Cause you said like, and I was wondering as, as these things kind of stack up, are you 189 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:36,200 feeling more pressure? 190 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:40,760 Are you like, is it, is it ever going to get to the point where it's not enjoyable because 191 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,680 you're putting too much pressure on yourself? 192 00:11:42,680 --> 00:11:44,360 Yeah, I worry about that. 193 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:49,480 I really do because at, for some weird reason I'm 43 years old and for whatever weird reason 194 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:50,920 I'm getting faster. 195 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,080 I don't know if it's like, I, I mean, I don't know, I don't know why it makes no sense that 196 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:59,040 I'm getting faster and banging out like really fast runs. 197 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:05,040 And so with that comes a lot of winning, you know, and I have been winning like the, I 198 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:09,080 won the Garmin marathon and then, you know, and then you go to the next marathon and you're 199 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,240 given number one, you know, you go back to that marathon and you're given number one 200 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:16,160 and people Google you and they tell you like, Oh, I Googled you and I saw you and I, you 201 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,960 know, and I'm like, ah, and it does like, and then the race invites you maybe like a 202 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:21,960 race invites you. 203 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,360 And, and, you know, there's a lot of pressure, pressure to do well, but I always tell my 204 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:30,880 daughter like, if, if, you know, and my biggest stress is now that she's a teenager and all 205 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:35,480 her friends follow me, like that I don't win and I don't have a good race, but then I just 206 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:40,240 tell her, I have, I have given it everything I have, you know, and, and I remember Shalane 207 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:45,280 Flanagan said in her, one of her talks, like, are you doing everything you can be doing 208 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,560 right now to win this race or to break, to meet your goals? 209 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:53,800 And when I asked myself that at like mile 18, um, I feel like I can reach a little bit 210 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,880 more like art, Becca, you flew. 211 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:02,000 And that's the thing, like I did not fly to Chile 21 hours for second place. 212 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:05,800 Like, I can talk myself and I said, I'm looking at this girl and I'm like, how am I going 213 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:06,800 to beat her? 214 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,360 She's a two 45 marathoner, but I, you, all these things come in your head. 215 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:15,000 Like I worked way too hard running six days a week and a hundred mile weeks. 216 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,760 And you know, I, I, I worked really hard for this and I didn't fly all the way here to 217 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,720 for second, you know, and sometimes I run, always I run with my daughter's picture in 218 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,040 my little spy belt or, you know, in pocket or something in it. 219 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,560 And any, I just dig deep for inspiration every single time I go to race. 220 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:31,600 But yeah, the pressure I've cried. 221 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,640 I've cried before, you know, and my husband's like, shake it off. 222 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:35,640 You're okay. 223 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:36,640 You got this. 224 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,920 And I'm like, because they're, you know, running is a very stressful sport. 225 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,560 It just is like, there's no team like you're in high school. 226 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:49,840 There is, but, um, I I've learned that people are proud of me no matter what, you know, 227 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,040 and so it's often a self induced pressure, though. 228 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:59,080 Like I feel like I fabricated this like whole breaking three into a way bigger of a deal 229 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:04,020 than it actually is like ultimately or just, we're just out there going for a run. 230 00:14:04,020 --> 00:14:09,460 But I felt like I was bringing like my gym community along and people were texting me 231 00:14:09,460 --> 00:14:10,460 during the run. 232 00:14:10,460 --> 00:14:13,800 And I just like, I felt, and it was helpful. 233 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,500 I think it actually ended up being helpful, but I felt like other people were like relying 234 00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:20,480 on me and not that it had any bearing on their life whatsoever. 235 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:24,460 But like, I felt like people were depending on me to like accomplish this goal. 236 00:14:24,460 --> 00:14:26,600 So then we could go run Boston together. 237 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,720 And I think like one of the mantras to me is I tell myself that it's a privilege to 238 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,640 kind of suffer through these marathons. 239 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,080 Like there's a lot of people that don't get the opportunity to run or they don't have 240 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:38,760 the ability to run like we do. 241 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:44,280 And it's a privilege to kind of feel that pain the last time I have a race in a weird 242 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:45,280 way. 243 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:46,280 Well, you're right. 244 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:47,600 Like we get to do this. 245 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,000 People don't get to do what we do. 246 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:50,000 We get to do this. 247 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,000 You're right. 248 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Yeah. 249 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,000 Yeah. 250 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,000 But that's a tough thing. 251 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,800 I'm sure that you struggle sometimes because when you just bang out marathon after marathon, 252 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:02,960 it just, it feels like you're just kind of invincible in that way. 253 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:08,360 Can you point to like, can you point to one or maybe a couple that you would consider 254 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,880 your biggest achievements? 255 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:11,880 You know what? 256 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,040 Like my biggest achievements are races that people don't even know about like running 257 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,040 17, 12 and in college and coming in fifth place. 258 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,600 Like that is something that personally I will never ever forget. 259 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,200 It's something that I worked really, really hard to break 17, 30. 260 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:29,960 And that it's funny because like people think, oh, Becca, seven, seven, seven. 261 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:35,440 And you know, but it's, I would have to say finishing the 50 states is by far my biggest 262 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:41,760 achievement, you know, and a lot of, I had a lot of sicknesses and injuries and all the 263 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,960 things and you just, you just, you know, when I went to Texas, I'm like, I don't, not that 264 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,200 there's nothing against Texas, but I don't want to fly back here. 265 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:49,200 So gut it out. 266 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,400 You know, at mile 15, I had like stabbing pain in my calf. 267 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:58,000 Like it's like somebody was stabbing me and I'm like, I don't ever recommend running through 268 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,560 pain, but I spent $3,000 to go to Texas, you know, two flights, two hotel, you know, and 269 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:03,560 I don't want to come back. 270 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,280 And not that, not that I don't, it's not Texas personally. 271 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:07,280 It's like, that's the thing. 272 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,580 Or I went to Fargo, North Dakota, and it was like, you spend a fortune on these marathons 273 00:16:11,580 --> 00:16:15,960 and you, I leave my daughter for four days, you know, and that, so I think, I think my 274 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,720 biggest achievement is definitely. 275 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:22,120 And then winning Antarctica, like I worked really, really hard. 276 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:23,760 And Kipchoge wrote good luck back there. 277 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:24,760 You got this. 278 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:25,760 And I was like, Oh my God. 279 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:26,760 And he's like, I'll be following you. 280 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:27,760 I'm like, Oh my God, I have to win this. 281 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:28,760 And he can graduate after the race. 282 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:29,760 He congratulated me. 283 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:36,320 And I was like, this, that's, that's definitely like one of the greatest things. 284 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,960 And, but I love, I mean, it's been, it's been, and then I'm running my 20th Boston marathon 285 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:45,360 and to get to 20, I always tell people I'm going to get to 20 Boston marathons and probably 286 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:50,880 keep running them, but like to say that I've run 20 Boston marathons, like that's where 287 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:51,880 I got my start. 288 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,680 I ran my first marathon at 17 years old, the Boston marathon. 289 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,760 And it's taken me like so far in life, you know, and because I loved it so much, I kept 290 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:00,760 running it. 291 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,760 And that, that's a huge achievement for me. 292 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:05,760 Absolutely. 293 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:11,560 What, one thing I'm interested in kind of seeing with your journey is how you've created 294 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:18,360 a career out of this, what some people would consider a hobby. 295 00:17:18,360 --> 00:17:21,320 What do you think has been like, what has that journey been like? 296 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,840 I mean, maybe when you were first starting, you probably didn't envision that you would 297 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:30,640 be doing what you're doing now, but what are the different pieces that allow it to be like 298 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:31,640 a sustainable career? 299 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,240 If that makes sense. 300 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:34,240 That does make sense. 301 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:35,240 Yeah. 302 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,880 So I love to say yes to everything like special Olympics reached out yesterday and they're 303 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,080 like, we know you don't have time. 304 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:41,080 I'm like, I do have time. 305 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:42,960 You know that, that you're wrong. 306 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:47,480 Like I would love to be so April 26, I'm going to be in charge of the special Olympics. 307 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,040 And I'm like, I love when people ask me to help because I needed so much help growing 308 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,760 up, you know, like I wasn't afraid to ask, you know, a gym, like, can I work out here 309 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:56,760 or a pool? 310 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:57,760 Can I swim here? 311 00:17:57,760 --> 00:17:59,680 And, and I think you just have to ask for help. 312 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:04,720 And when you, when you ask for help then, and I love when people ask me, Hey, can you, 313 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,760 can you be a part of this or can you be so giving, that's my way to give back. 314 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,500 I love to say yes to everything, you know? 315 00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:11,500 And then I have roles. 316 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:13,960 Like when people email me, I email them back within six hours. 317 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:18,080 I do my best to, you know, and let them let everybody feel like they're cause, cause if 318 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:23,120 somebody wants to take the time to ask me or talk to me, I love that, you know, and 319 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:24,720 oftentimes it's people that follow me. 320 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:30,040 And yesterday somebody, I cried because somebody on two days ago wrote a thesis on me. 321 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:34,860 And I'm like, out of all the things you could have chose, like you chose me and she's 17 322 00:18:34,860 --> 00:18:37,280 and running her first Boston marathon when she was 18. 323 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:38,480 And I was like wiping tears. 324 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:44,480 I was like, I, I could, it was like so humbling, like, and then somebody came to my door. 325 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,080 This happened a couple of times dresses me for Halloween. 326 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:52,040 And I'm like, again, like out of all the things you could, you chose to dress as me for Halloween. 327 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:53,080 It, she had all these metals. 328 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,280 She had my bib Becca seven, seven, seven. 329 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:56,880 And I'm like, Oh my God. 330 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:58,780 I'm like, and it was so awesome. 331 00:18:58,780 --> 00:18:59,780 She was seven. 332 00:18:59,780 --> 00:19:03,640 And then the other girls were like teenagers and I'm like, and my daughter saw it and to 333 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,960 have my daughter be able to see these things. 334 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:07,720 Like it, it means so much, you know? 335 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:12,840 So I, I feel very, very lucky to be from the Boston community and people that care about 336 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:13,840 me. 337 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:14,840 Yeah. 338 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,920 What do you think that Boston marathon experience is going to be like for us this April or how 339 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:19,720 do you think I can make the most of it? 340 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:20,720 Right. 341 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,880 Your name's on your shirts and, and go for it. 342 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,780 You know, like put up a statement. 343 00:19:25,780 --> 00:19:27,120 You guys deserve to be there. 344 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:29,200 You get, you're going to do so well. 345 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:30,200 You're going to run so fast. 346 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:31,200 You know, you guys, yeah. 347 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,200 Like have a little, are you so excited? 348 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,280 Just, you know, like get on the course, cover all the places. 349 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:43,680 I'm just, I'm just viewing it as the accomplishment of, I guess, what we worked for in Martha's 350 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:44,680 Vineyard. 351 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:50,040 I know it'll be a tough course with the wheelchair, but it's going to be crowds that we've never 352 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:51,040 experienced. 353 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,920 So like you said, we'll put Jacob, put Jacob's name on the front. 354 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,920 No one will be able to see mine because I'll be behind the chair, but that's fine. 355 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,360 Even when they say Jacob, like you're like, and so that's what I told me for you guys, 356 00:20:01,360 --> 00:20:02,600 it's like the victory lap. 357 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:03,720 Well, you know what I mean? 358 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:05,280 Like you already did the work. 359 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,680 This is the victory lap, enjoy it. 360 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,560 And it's so, you guys are going to have so much fun. 361 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:12,560 It's really awesome. 362 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:13,760 What are you going to wear as a kid, race kit? 363 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,160 Do you have something picked up? 364 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:16,160 I'm not sure yet. 365 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:21,240 We might like, since we don't have the obligation of fundraising for a charity, we'll have 366 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:25,760 a, like a fundraising page for the nonprofit that I run. 367 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:30,400 So I might try to get like some corporate sponsors and see if they would donate to the 368 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:35,240 nonprofit in exchange for maybe having logos or something on some sort of singlet. 369 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,240 But yeah, haven't thought too far. 370 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:39,520 We're going to get new wheel covers for the chair as well. 371 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:44,000 Same thing that hopefully has some of the sponsor logos, but it wasn't really on my 372 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:49,400 radar initially, but I feel like I can maybe use the race as a way to fundraise for the 373 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,800 organization, like all the charity runners do for their organizations. 374 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,320 So might as well try to. 375 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:55,800 You should, absolutely. 376 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:56,800 Yeah. 377 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,880 How did you get acquainted with Jara? 378 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,600 So you trained Jara for Boston last year. 379 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:03,600 Yeah. 380 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,240 Like it's been so fun. 381 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:11,120 He, Ben Rawitz, who's Tom Brady's manager reached out and he's like, do you know Zdeno 382 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:12,120 Jara? 383 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:13,120 I'm like the Bruin, yeah, like the Bruin. 384 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:14,720 He's like, yeah, I'm like, what's up? 385 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,680 And he's like, he wants to get into running. 386 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,200 He has a couple of questions. 387 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:23,840 So when I go and I meet him in Western and, and he's so far ahead of where I thought he 388 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:25,040 was like, he was banging. 389 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:26,040 I'm looking at a Strava. 390 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:27,040 I'm like, is this you? 391 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:28,040 And he's like, yeah. 392 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,040 I'm like, you don't need my help. 393 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,280 I'm like, you're fine. 394 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,040 You're already running seven miles, eight miles. 395 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:37,320 And I was like, and then I'm staring at him and I'm like, any chance you want to run Boston 396 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:38,320 marathon? 397 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,480 He's like, yeah, when is it? 398 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:40,640 I'm like April. 399 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,400 He's like, like three months. 400 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:43,920 I'm like, yeah. 401 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,320 And he was like, I'd love to, I'll sign up. 402 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,840 I'm like, so it doesn't really, so I'm like, hold, let me, let me think. 403 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,800 Like, and so I wrote the race director of the Boston, you know, Dave McGovery, I wrote 404 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,240 to him and he was like, oh my God, yeah. 405 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,320 Like, let me, let me connect with him. 406 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,880 And he is so coachable, you know, and, and what, what I love about him is he takes the 407 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:04,880 time for the people. 408 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,320 Like he high fives the kids. 409 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,720 And when I run with him, we've run five marathons together. 410 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:15,000 And what I love about him is he, he really just, it's like, it's like a parade for him 411 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,240 and he really embraces it. 412 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,160 And so he's getting faster. 413 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,920 He just ran a three 16 and he's getting faster and faster. 414 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:27,120 I think, I think he'll be well three very, very soon, but he puts in the work. 415 00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:31,520 You tell him what to do when he follows it to a T. So it's been really, really good, 416 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:32,520 really fun. 417 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:33,520 Yeah. 418 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:40,320 When I saw him and you and him at the Hoyt race earlier this spring, it seems like everyone 419 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:41,920 is just kind of like swarming around them. 420 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,800 And I didn't want to be the same person that's like, here, like take a picture with me. 421 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:50,200 I'm sure that's like, that's probably not the best experience. 422 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:51,200 Maybe some people like it. 423 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:52,200 I don't know. 424 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,040 I mean, it's old after a while, but he can't, I'm sure he can't go anywhere without obviously 425 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,360 being noticed by everyone. 426 00:22:57,360 --> 00:22:58,360 Yeah. 427 00:22:58,360 --> 00:22:59,360 He actually enjoys it. 428 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:00,360 So say hi. 429 00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:01,360 He really does. 430 00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,880 Like he really, really does enjoy the people and the fans and like, he, he really does 431 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:06,200 an excellent job with them. 432 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:10,080 I've never heard him say no or look agitated or he never talks badly. 433 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,040 Like he's, he really is awesome guy. 434 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:14,040 Yeah. 435 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,040 He seems that way. 436 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:19,400 Endurance sports have the potential to be maybe the most successful sport in the world. 437 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,680 All you really need is your body and whatever mobility aid you use, whether it's your shoes 438 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,800 or your chair. 439 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:26,800 What do you think? 440 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:33,200 And maybe this is just too broad of a question, but what do you think races need to do to 441 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,760 be more inclusive and accessible? 442 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:36,760 Let them know. 443 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:42,720 Like one thing that I do when the first thing like that we are adaptive friendly, like whatever 444 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:43,720 it takes. 445 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,920 And what I do is I reach out to somebody like Joe Lamar and I said, can you come check my 446 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,360 course with me because you're going to have, have ideas that I don't have. 447 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:55,200 So race directors need to do a better job at including everybody and having the same 448 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,240 prize prize money and everything that everybody else does. 449 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:03,440 So I offer my prizes the same, you know, Newton sneakers, same adaptive as non-adaptive. 450 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:09,200 And you know, you want to, I, at first I said, sorry to bother to Joe Lamar. 451 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:10,200 And he's like, no, it's no bother. 452 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,200 Now he's been awesome for me. 453 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,080 And I don't, because I don't know, you know, and so I said, can you come look over my course 454 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:17,080 with me? 455 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:18,080 And he did. 456 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:22,600 And it was like, it was awesome, you know, but I think like offering, does anybody need 457 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:23,600 a tether? 458 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:28,080 Because one, when I started tethering with, and visually impaired runners, it was because 459 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:32,440 I saw an email come through from a race I had run. 460 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:39,280 So they're like, can anybody keep this pace, a marathon tether at a three 25 pace? 461 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:40,280 I'm like, I can. 462 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,160 So I went down and I tethered with an visually impaired guy. 463 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:47,840 And I was like, all because that race director took the time to email the runners. 464 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,320 So I don't know, like I love that. 465 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:54,720 And that's a very memorable race for me, you know, and to get to help somebody else. 466 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,080 Like I really do love that. 467 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:01,200 So I think if race directors and they need to not be afraid to ask, like, what do you 468 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,200 guys need? 469 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:07,200 Or you guys might be give, you know, come to my race and I think include being more 470 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:08,200 inclusive, including. 471 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:15,280 Yeah, that was one of the things with like Dave, Joe, Bill Richard, and a couple others. 472 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:21,080 And I met after some races this fall and we were talking about that and just trying to 473 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:22,500 come up with best practices. 474 00:25:22,500 --> 00:25:28,160 I think a lot of times, unless race directors are like you proactive and asking the right 475 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:33,720 people or, or if they've been involved with people with disabilities in the past, they 476 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,360 know what questions to ask, but there's, there's many people who don't. 477 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:43,720 So I'm kind of trying to tackle that problem of like, how can all races be more inclusive 478 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:44,720 and accessible? 479 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,640 So we're hoping to do a research project, accessing, assessing the accessibility of 480 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,520 road races and then coming up with some better solutions and resources for race directors. 481 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,920 But everything from the timing company to the course that you choose, et cetera, all 482 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,160 kind of has an impact on that. 483 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:04,600 That's the thing is like, I went over some gravel land and I said, I'd rather, I'd rather 484 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,320 not go around the lake because of it's not accessible, you know, and then the board was 485 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:15,600 like, awesome, you know, so that's the thing is to include, I think being include everybody 486 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:16,600 is so. 487 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:22,000 I think for like, for Jacob and I, it's fine if a course isn't suitable for us. 488 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,720 I would hold no animosity towards that, but I would want to just know in advance. 489 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:31,520 So I think that's probably the case for most people, like we don't expect everything to 490 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:32,520 be suitable for us. 491 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:37,360 I don't expect that everyone should drop what they're doing and cater to our needs. 492 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:42,280 But as long as it's articulated clearly that, okay, the course has a U-turn that's pretty 493 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:47,640 tight or the course might have some potholes in the side and you might have to steer around 494 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:48,960 it or run into the road. 495 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:55,280 Like I can take on that risk, but as long as it's my decision and not for me, I think 496 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,200 it's important as well. 497 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,880 Are races including you guys more? 498 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:00,880 Do you find that way or how? 499 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,720 I mean, we're still like, it's similar. 500 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:09,680 So Falmouth and Boston both have a 12 wheelchair duo cap. 501 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:14,480 And talking to Dave about it, he says just like 30 years ago or however many years ago 502 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:19,000 when the Hoyts ran their first marathon, first Boston marathon, they asked, Dave asked them 503 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,720 like how many wheelchairs do you think I can do? 504 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,820 And they just said like 12 and that number has just kind of stuck. 505 00:27:26,820 --> 00:27:32,120 And so when you approach Falmouth, so 20 of us applied, only 12 got accepted for Falmouth 506 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:33,360 and you asked them the same thing. 507 00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:36,600 Well, they say, oh, well, the Boston marathon only does 12. 508 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:41,360 But then you see like the Marine Corps marathon and they just had 50 plus wheelchairs there. 509 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:45,600 So I think it's all trending in the right direction. 510 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:51,560 But I think just having conversations with race directors, with organizations, coming 511 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,440 up with solutions together, I think hopefully will pay dividends. 512 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,480 But yeah, and anything that I'm always willing to learn. 513 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:03,560 So anything that you think of that I can do in my end, let me know. 514 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:05,260 I'm learning as well as we go. 515 00:28:05,260 --> 00:28:09,480 So but like talking to people like Joe Lamar and talking to people that have the lived 516 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:11,920 experience and the expertise I think is important. 517 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,920 But and he and he I said, OK, let me get you a discount. 518 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:16,600 He said, we don't want a discount. 519 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:17,600 And I was like, oh, my God. 520 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,520 Like, I, you know, and he's like, why would we want a discount? 521 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:21,520 We don't want. 522 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,480 Thank you for teaching me that. 523 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,000 Because I also figured like it'd be nice to offer. 524 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,440 He's like, we don't need we don't want it. 525 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,800 I'm like, yeah, I think it's good to offer. 526 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,160 It's good to have it available. 527 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,680 If financials are a barrier for people, it's good to offer that. 528 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:40,400 But like you said, not necessarily like assume that needs to be offered or kind of ask the 529 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:41,400 person what they need. 530 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:42,400 Yeah. 531 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:43,400 So I don't know. 532 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,200 I just love to learn. 533 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:46,680 So anything that you can think of, let me know. 534 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,800 And any support that you need me to rally you want if you want me to go to the Boston 535 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,640 Marathon and say 12 is enough. 536 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:53,640 I have no idea. 537 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:59,720 I need you to for some reason, like myself and a couple of the other duos, because they 538 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,600 announced the lower standard for everyone. 539 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,800 And honestly, I would have liked to have been held to that same standard, which would have 540 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,480 resulted in us missing by about 30 seconds. 541 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:13,360 But it took us like an extra five weeks to hear like whether we were accepted. 542 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:16,400 And I'm not sure what the holdup was there. 543 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:22,920 So talking to some people, it's just like if races want to be inclusive or accessible 544 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,640 to actually like demonstrate that they want you there or to kind of like make it clear 545 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:28,640 that they do. 546 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:32,240 And I think that's just I think that will come with time. 547 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:38,600 But yeah, I might need you to if they don't listen to me about the 12 duo cap, maybe they'll 548 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:39,600 listen to you. 549 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:40,600 I'm sad to hear that. 550 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:41,600 Yeah. 551 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:46,240 I mean, if there's 30,000 runners, I can't imagine there's any reason why 12 will 552 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,080 chair duos work, but 15 doesn't. 553 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:52,920 So yeah, hopefully over time with some more exposure and representation, that number will 554 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:53,920 keep growing. 555 00:29:53,920 --> 00:30:01,320 But outside of the Antarctica marathon, are you going to stay within Traffon or is that 556 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,040 something you've found? 557 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:09,200 I learned that there was the Daytona half Ironman that I was invited to December 4th. 558 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,440 So I'm definitely running that. 559 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:12,440 That's two weeks. 560 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:13,840 Yeah, two weeks. 561 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:18,880 And I really, I really enjoyed the triathlon training. 562 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:22,080 It's by far the hardest work I've ever done on anything. 563 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,640 And because you're learning three sports in one. 564 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,440 So the swim is very hard. 565 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,120 The biking for six hours at a time is very hard. 566 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:32,000 But then when I get to the running, I'm like, yes, I got this. 567 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:36,540 But I really I ran my first practice try and I thought, this is kind of cool. 568 00:30:36,540 --> 00:30:37,540 This is different. 569 00:30:37,540 --> 00:30:41,720 Because as I'm finishing, I knew that as I'd be finishing the 50 states and the world majors 570 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,920 and everything that I would need as something else and not just running. 571 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:49,400 But I really enjoy I want to do as many Ironmans as possible. 572 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:50,400 Kona was unbelievable. 573 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,080 It took my breath away. 574 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,480 It was like surreal experience. 575 00:30:54,480 --> 00:31:01,520 And for three months when I was in the heat of the training, I was picturing them saying 576 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,740 as I was crossing the finish line, Becca, PZ, you and I are an Ironman. 577 00:31:05,740 --> 00:31:09,840 And when they actually say it, like you can't even you can't believe it because you cannot 578 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,280 count yourself in any part of that course. 579 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:13,280 It's 90 degrees. 580 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:18,040 I mean, it was it's really hot and humid and it's a long day. 581 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,560 And so at no point, even at mile like 24, I'm like, I do not have this. 582 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,680 I do not have this until I cross the finish line. 583 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:28,400 But you enter the mat, which is like 400 yards long Ironman mat. 584 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,280 And then you're running and your heart's like beating and then they say your name and you 585 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:33,280 have your moment. 586 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:34,840 Nobody crosses the finish line together. 587 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:36,840 Everybody crosses like one at a time. 588 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:38,600 And you're like, I did it. 589 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:42,440 So that was actually a huge accomplishment for me, too. 590 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:46,720 So but I really enjoyed there were days when I was so tired, I couldn't blink or get up 591 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:51,440 and, you know, in six days a week of training for three months, it was very, very hard. 592 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,800 But I really enjoyed I really enjoyed it. 593 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,800 So that's awesome. 594 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,880 One of the like themes that we've asked most of the people and we I guess we are touched 595 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:07,000 upon it a little bit with the sport specifically in their in sports specifically. 596 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:14,800 But what do you think needs to be done for like businesses or a fitness center like mine 597 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:18,160 to be more inclusive and accessible? 598 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,400 So I think just reaching out to the community and saying, how can I help you? 599 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:25,440 You know, like in going to different businesses and saying, hey, hey, do you guys want to 600 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:30,080 be involved or we're having a Friday morning session or, you know, I want to I want to 601 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:35,440 motivate your employees like how can you go to a local bank and say, hey, I want to have 602 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:36,440 a Friday morning class. 603 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:37,440 Do you want to be in? 604 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,120 You know, and that's kind of like what a yoga studio did to me. 605 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:41,120 They read about me. 606 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,120 They're like, hey, do you need help? 607 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,380 And I was like, yeah, yeah, I would love to go in a yoga. 608 00:32:44,380 --> 00:32:46,480 So I started going just because I was invited. 609 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,840 So I think being invited means a lot to people, whether it's like and then they tell their 610 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:54,600 friends and they tell their friends and then, you know, you build a big but I think sending 611 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:58,320 out surveys to like when I finished my five K, I like to send out like, what can I do 612 00:32:58,320 --> 00:32:59,320 better? 613 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:04,160 So I think asking the customers, hey, what are two things you like about my gym and what 614 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:06,520 are two things I can work on? 615 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:10,920 Like that sounds so obvious, but I think it's humbling for a lot of people. 616 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:15,120 And I think that like growth mindset of like admitting that you don't have all the answers 617 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,440 is something that doesn't always come naturally to people. 618 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:18,440 It clearly does to you. 619 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:22,480 But yeah, and I think that's what happens is and then sometimes I don't like their answer. 620 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:24,520 I'm like, we had plenty of porta potties. 621 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:25,520 You know what I mean? 622 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,840 Or do you know how much it cost my police detail? 623 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,120 Or do you know how like sometimes I don't like their answer, but I've learned a lot 624 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:36,760 in asking my customers, inviting people and also asking my customers, what can I do better? 625 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:41,840 Even though I might not like the answer, but you know, and then sometimes I invite other 626 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,680 people in, like I invited David McGillivray, come into my five K, what can I do better? 627 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:49,720 So you might invite another gym to you and say, hey, I'll check out your gym. 628 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:50,720 You check out my gym. 629 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:51,720 What can we do better? 630 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:52,720 Yeah, that's a good idea. 631 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:58,440 Yeah, no, Becca, like I mentioned earlier, very much appreciate the relationship that 632 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,240 we've had over the years. 633 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,160 Keep an eye out on your next things. 634 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:05,200 When is Antarctica? 635 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:06,920 The week after Daytona. 636 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:13,160 Okay, so in a couple of weeks, you'll do Daytona and then a week after that, you'll do Antarctica. 637 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:14,160 No big deal. 638 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:18,160 And then maybe off some between then and Boston. 639 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:23,280 Yeah, honestly, I'll probably take the rest of December off, like not off because I run 640 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:28,400 all the time, but like from swimming and biking and then I'm going to start in January. 641 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:33,920 Like getting on the course, I like to be on the course every two weeks at least, cover 642 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:37,600 all of the course, like from start to finish, just so there's no surprises. 643 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:43,160 Yeah, I'll have to come out because obviously everyone talks about the elevation changes, 644 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,080 but you have to kind of experience it. 645 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,880 So I'll have to meet you out there to do a run. 646 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:48,880 Yeah, I'd love that. 647 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:49,880 I would love that. 648 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,880 And then just getting like, hop into the top of the heartbreak, like that's a good run 649 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:53,880 too. 650 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,240 So getting dropped off and then picked up is always a big, big thing. 651 00:34:57,240 --> 00:35:01,160 But I want to be, I want to put in like sub 310 for Boston this year. 652 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:02,160 So awesome. 653 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,800 We'll definitely plug the different channels that people can follow you along. 654 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:07,320 I would highly recommend it. 655 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:11,840 Like I mentioned, it's been a motivating thing for me as well to see everything you're taking 656 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:18,080 on as soon as I think I'm making progress and doing things that are super impressive. 657 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:21,000 I see yours and that brings me back down to earth. 658 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,400 So Becca, thanks for being a great friend and inspiration. 659 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:25,400 You too. 660 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:26,400 Thanks so much, guys. 661 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:27,400 Yeah. 662 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,880 Thank you for listening to the AdaptX Podcast. 663 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,800 Our effort to amplify the ideas of our guests and create more inclusive and accessible industries 664 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,880 is futile unless these episodes reach a larger audience. 665 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:41,760 If you enjoyed our discussion today, please leave us a rating or review on whichever platform 666 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:42,760 you use. 667 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,780 And if you would like to learn more about AdaptX, the course that we teach to health 668 00:35:45,780 --> 00:35:49,640 and fitness professionals and the projects that our organization is working on, you can 669 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:54,040 subscribe to our newsletter through our website, www.adaptex.org. 670 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,040 Until next Monday.