Hope Starts With Us
Hope Starts With Us
Running for Mental and Physical Health in the Black Community – Episode 55
As we look ahead to the TCS New York City Marathon, we are in awe of the athletes that have trained so hard and are about to take on the grueling 26.2 mile course through the five boroughs of New York. In this episode we will talk to Race Director Ted Metellus, who has made history as the first Black race director of an Abbott World Marathon Major, and we will explore how he is working to bring fitness and running to the Black community. We’ll also speak to Jeffrey McEachern, a Peloton Tread instructor, mental health advocate, and marathon runner, who is bringing awareness and raising funds for important organizations serving marginalized communities – and is about to take on his second New York City Marathon. We will discuss how running has changed our guests’ mental health and their lives.
You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.
You know, I often say the energy you give is the energy you receive. And when you're running 26.2 miles and the crowds are out there cheering you on, you’re feeding off that energy. When you have loved ones, family or friends that are so proud of you for taking on this journey and training and preparing your body, that's energy. When you cross that finish line and you're handed that medal and your family and friends are there embracing you, That's energy. The feeling component is key. And I think that in many times when you talk about creating walls and kind of not being vulnerable and kind of keeping things up is the not letting yourself feel. I was hurting, I was hurting, hurting. And I pushed and I pushed and I pushed, I didn't let the feeling of wanting to quit come up over me. I pushed through it. That's a physical component. But then when you're talking about the emotional component, the mental component, the emotional engagement piece of that, allowing yourself to feel is that next piece there that really connects people. Welcome to Hope Starts With Us, a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. My name is Dan Gillison. I am your host and I am the CEO of NAMI. NAMI started this podcast because we believe that hope starts with us. Hope starts with us talking about mental health. Hope starts with us making information accessible. Hope starts with us providing resources and practical advice. Hope starts with us sharing our stories. And hope starts with us breaking the stigma. If you or a loved one is struggling with a mental health condition and have been looking for hope, we made this podcast for you. Hope starts with all of us. Hope is a collective. We hope that each episode with each conversation brings you into that collective. So, you know that you are not alone. So our theme for this podcast is running for better mental health in the Black community and beyond. As I introduce our guest, Ted Metellus and Jeffrey McEachern, I may be getting your last name wrong. Jeffrey so my bad, but let me just give you a little bit of the background of our guests. Ted as TCS New York City race director and the first Black race director for an Abbott World Marathon Major. Jeffrey, as a Peloton tread instructor in both German and English, a gifted athlete running marathons around the world, bringing his infectious smile to Peloton members around that world. And as we were talking before we started the podcast, Jeffrey will be going to Chicago and then he will be going to Japan. So we talk about running around the world. It's real. We want to talk about why running is so critically important and we really want to hear about your journeys, your journeys to get you to where you are and what keeps you healthy. And Ted has been called a trailblazer for bringing running into the Black community. That is not something that if you think about our community, the Black community and running, you don't think of them in concert. You don't think of them collectively. So we’re really interested to hear Ted's journey. This race is coming soon. And Ted, I know you're real busy and this is the biggest marathon in the world. What does the race day look like for you? First and foremost, thank you so very much, Dan. Thanks, everybody, for this opportunity here to share on this platform a little bit about my journey and Jeffrey's journey and experience in this space. So thank you. We were the largest in the world until a couple days ago. The BMW Berlin Marathon just broke the ceiling on the number of participants with well over 54,000 runners that participated in their 50th anniversary event that happened this Sunday. Our own Traci was out there getting her Six Stars. We’re excited about that. The energy was infectious. It was a beautiful day there. But, you know, upon the recording of this of this podcast, we're approximately 31 days from the TCS New City Marathon, where we will also be hosting over 53,000 runners. And right now it's time for us. We are zeroing in on all the planning and preparation for the event, hosting over 50,000 people, their family, friends and loved ones in what is the largest city in the world in New York, with an event that has tremendous legacy. The very first New York City marathon was in 1970 when we went to Five Boroughs. That was in ‘76. So we truly opened up the world in seeing what major urban marathoning can be. So it's lots of meetings, lots of preparation with, you know, working with city agencies and partners, but most of all, working with the teams on the ground that are making sure that we have an amazing race day on November 3rd. Wow. This is fantastic. And congratulations to one of our colleagues who ran in Berlin. Also, I just want to say that it's so cool that you're already at 53,000 and you're 30 days out now. I want to ask Jeffrey, running the New York City Marathon again, how are you feeling about your training and knowing that that clock is ticking and you're about 30 days from the start of the race? Yeah, it's a good reminder. And also, you know, Ted, it's good to hear from your point of view because, of course, you know, as an athlete running that you're like, okay, it's 30 days down. You know how far you got? What’s your training looking like? I will say the journey I love about a training block or a marathon training block in general is just, you know, you never know what's going to come. Life is gonna life. So just embracing your training and adapting it to your life and the things that are going on. And I am just excited. I mean, I got to run it last year. It was the most beautiful race of my life, I honestly have to say, and I'm just excited to do it again. I've actually talked one of my best friends into coming with me, so he's going to come and join. So we're just going to have a beautiful time out there and I mean, New York is such a special city in itself and it's part of my story, so I'm just grateful to be able to run it. Thank you very much. I want to come back to ask both of you, how did you get into running and did you get into it from the athletics side, the mental health side, or was it a bit of both? And when did you realize the benefits mentally? Let me start with you, Jeffrey. When did you get into it and why did you get into it? And then, Ted, when I come to you, I also want to ask you the business side of it. So for me, actually about nine years ago on October 2nd, I was personally at a spot where I had to make some changes in my life. I quit my job. I was working in the fast food industry. I was a chain smoker like I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day and I was like, this is not the life I'm supposed to live. And I literally on that day, I was living on my best friend's couch at the time because I made some poor financial decisions and, you know, all I had was some shoes that I could wear for running. I didn't have money to go to the gym and I said, I need to go out and just get my body moving. I need to get out of here. So I started running. It was more of like a walk run situation and I just knew I needed to move. And once I started doing that, I started feeling different. I started having time for my thoughts. I started hearing what was going on in my mind. The physical movement changed so much within me mentally that I had time to think. I found answers. I found questions that I also needed to ask in life. And I think once you get to experience that, the freedom that it brings, why would you stop? So I kind of just, you know, started then surrounding myself with people, you know, who have already been running and got to share some more experience throughout that journey. So it was basically that decision about nine years ago, just that I need to do something different in my life because growing up, I never really moved. I didn't do any sports, I didn't play any sports at school or anything. I was not interested in that. My interests were music and just humans. So I kind of focused on that. And yeah, that day changed everything for me. Wow. well, kudos to you. You stepped up, you stepped out, and you've been stepping and running ever since. So way to go. And Jeffrey, for our listeners, I probably didn't serve your last name correctly. So would you say for our audience your last name? I appreciate that. My last name is McEachern. McEachern. Okay, thank you. Ted, let me come to you now, though. When did you start? How did you and as you're 30 days out of managing the biggest race in the world, in the most incredibly important city in the world, from the standpoint of New York City, with all of the different tentacles. When did you start and what brought you to what you're doing right now? Wow, I’ll try to be as clear and concise as possible here because it is a 26 year journey to get to where I am right now. I've been in this space for quite some time, as I noted, but I’ll start specifically about New York Roadrunners, the organizers and producers of the TCS New York City Marathon, and I'll speak a little bit about my running journey in there as well. But my first experience with the marathon on here in New York and New York Roadrunners was in 2001. So this was November of 2001, two months after 9/11. One of my dear colleagues and friends who I worked with prior to for an organization that raise funds and services through events for breast cancer and AIDS, moved on to work at New York Roadrunners and she reached out to me three or four weeks before the marathon. So this is like mid October and said, hey, we need some event operations help, we need some production help. Would you be interested in coming on board and giving us a hand? This was my first experience in the endurance event space. I've worked nonprofits, cycling events that went cross-country and multi-state. I worked on multi-day walks for breast cancer. I worked on production events and TV things and so forth, and never worked in the endurance space. So this was new and different for me. And when you think of the TCS New York City Marathon, an iconic event, that was the cherry on top. So I went out there and saw this and my eyes were wide open to what this industry in this space was. And this is ‘01. So it was a different world and the world really rolled itself out and really showed up at that time because we were coming out of everything that was lined up with 9/11 there. The city needed that love. The world needed that love. It needed the arms wrapped around it to show it love and support. And we saw that firsthand. So that was my introduction to the space. It came at me fast and I stayed with the organization full time for three years and then continued to consult with them for a number of years while working on Major triathlons and running events across the United States and overseas. And then I came back home, as you may say, back in February of 2018. And it's been an interesting journey to come to the point that I'm in right now as race director and following in the footsteps of those that did it before me. So when you think about, hey, how did you get here and how are you feeling, this isn’t the first time. So fortunate for me, when you think about folks like Ted Corbitt, who was our first president, African-American, who was the first African-American marathoner to run in the Olympics, he was our first president of our organization. He was one of our founders to help create the marathon in 1970, which was around Central Park. And then taking it out onto the streets in ‘76. And if you also want to talk about the African American influence to the marathon, you have to think about people like Percy Sutton. So the great Percy Sutton, who was borough president at the time, was instrumental in green lighting and working along with world runners and the mayor at the time to say, hey, let's celebrate, you know, America's birthday, 1976, with this one time five borough marathon. And let's get this thing going. And New York City Needed for love in ‘76. So he had this event happen and I now get to follow behind the footsteps of Fred Lebow, Allan Steinfeld, Mary Wineberg, Peter Ciaccia, said Jim Heim, and now the sixth race director of the TCS New York City Marathon. So it's a collective effort. It's a team effort. Like any other major organization or any other major project. It is not something that is done alone. It's done collectively as a team or as I like to say, you know, total team effort going all in. And that total team effort is not exclusive to the four walls of New York Road Runners. It's extended again to all of our city agencies and partners that all come on board to help amplify this incredible experience, which is the marathon. So you know, it's been amazing this journey here. It's not easy, but what journey is easy? There's ups and downs and you have to navigate through a lot. But again, having a great support system around you with the talent that is around me, you know, our CEO Rob Simmelkjaer, the rest of the team on the senior team, but then my team that works closely side by side with me, they help us all get to the finish line. This is fantastic, Ted and Jeffrey. And as we have this conversation, I'm also thinking about optics from the standpoint of me watching the Olympics. I always see a gray haired gentleman with a hat on and I would hear the media talk about him as the race director going back some years. You probably know who I'm speaking of because I was just a viewer watching on TV and they would always introduce him. And so that's the optics. That's the view I had. You just did a ‘did you know?’ moment. You talked about Percy Sutton. You talked about the mayor. You talked about some inner workings that many of us in the audience had no way of knowing. What do you hope happens at this marathon about people knowing about the fact that Ted is leading this? And I know it's not about you, but I'm just talking about the fact that there was a Black man that ran a marathon in the Olympics. Did you know? Are there any ‘did you know?’ moments that you hope come from this race? Daniel, you knocked it out of the park there with the ‘did you know’ moments. I think there's a tremendous opportunity for people to learn. And what's really fascinating is folks nowadays, and we could all kind of chop it up to this, think it just happened yesterday. It just happened now, you know, there's the running boom that's currently going on. This is part of the third or fourth iteration of the running boom, you know, and when you sit down, you share with folks in an event that's been around since 1970, it transformed in ‘76 by an organization that started in ’58 to now continue to be this really, really expansive, you know, nonprofit organization that's not just doing the marathon, but also doing programs for kids, for young women to being as inclusive as possible and really welcoming to the community at large. What I would hope people look back and say, let me do a little research on the marathon here, like how far has it gone? Let's take a look at the organization that helped produce this and the people that were part of the very fiber of this organization. Who are these folks? I think the last thing that I think would be of tremendous value is the folks that are touched by the marathon and the marathon journey. In the marathon experience, people like Jeffrey who are now running. And now when I say beeming, beeming with energy and that energy is something that--you know, I often say the energy you give is the energy you receive. And when you're running 26.2 miles and the crowds are out there cheering you on, we're feeding off that energy. When you have loved ones, family or friends that are so proud of you for taking on this journey and training and preparing your body, that's energy. When you cross that finish line and you're handed that medal and your family and friends are there to embrace you, that’s energy. So the ‘did you know moment’ that I would love folks to just take a little bit of time out to learn about the sport of running, the industry of running, who has done it before. The diversity that's out there learning about different groups and clubs and teams that are out there that are really serving these beautiful, dynamic, diverse people that are out there that make up our running community. You know, thank you, Ted. And building on that, you guys are incredible. And I want to come back to Black men and health. You know, my bride will tell you that she's got to be insistent that I go to the doctor. And that's not something that we do well. I'm still blessed to have my dad with us at 91 years young. He doesn't want to go to the doctor. It's just something that is a part of our orientation. What have you seen from the aspect of Black men and navigating this space of running and their mental wellness? How do we help ourselves do better with that? I mean, definitely for me, I have to say, you know, meeting different people of all running groups when I teach classes or when I meet them in person, I think it starts for me with my parents, with my dad, teaching him the value of vulnerability, sharing, talking and taking care of yourself mentally, physically. Like I am so grateful that I get to be my dad's teacher in that sense, and I can feel it trickling down into other parts of my family. You know, I shared a story about my uncle, who is HIV positive and talking about mental health to him and health to him. So I'm really trying to play a big part in that. I think in general I've seen a change and that's something I like to provide when I teach or anywhere I go. As you said, Ted, the energy you bring is the energy you also receive. I provide a safe space for people to talk about these things, to ask these questions, and maybe to guide them in a direction. I'm not a doctor, I'm not a psychiatrist. I can only guide them, but I'm also giving them the space to do so. So I feel there's a big change because in my journey and running myself and connecting with others, I lead with vulnerability. I lead with that openness. And I've met so many moments and people where actually their family members are surprised that they would talk to me about this or that they would open up to me about this or that. They come to me and say, hey, in that class I really felt something and that's going to make me check in with myself or talk to my spouse and do those things. So I feel what I do with the platform at Peloton. I am in people's homes. I get to be in their bedroom, living room, wherever they are. So it automatically gives a connection that otherwise I maybe would not have. So it gives an entry to talk about these topics and make them aware and guide them in the direction they need to go to. That's a true ambassador and that's a true advocate. And thank you, Jeffrey. You teach in both English and German, I believe. I do. That's correct. I was born and raised in Germany. My dad is African-American. He is actually from Newark, New Jersey, and went to Germany for the Army. And then when I was born, stayed there with my family. And so I was raised with both languages. So I think and dream and feel in English most of the time. But I also speak fluent German. So 80% or 80-90% of my classes I teach fully in German, about 10-20%. I teach in English from the UK to the US. Yeah, I can also do something Danglish, w can mix it up. I'm happy to do all that. It's also fun because you know, a lot of people from English speaking members get to know me and I mix a few German words in there, so it's a lot of fun taking them on that journey. That is absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing that and thank you for the value of vulnerability and lead with vulnerability and providing safe spaces. I mean, this is fantastic and thank you for doing that. Ted, I now want to come to you. Yeah, I mean, it's a perfect segue way. I mean, at New York Road Runners those are the spaces that we really thrive to work at, whether it is, you know, members of our LGBTQ community, whether it's our seniors, whether it's our youth. We have an amazing program called Run for the Future, which helps young girls train up to do their first 5K and they graduate at the 5K. And it's really amazing as we've had everything from Olympic athletes to just this year, we had the deputy police commissioner, Tania Kinsella, an African-American woman, mother of three, and a major, major role here in New York City who is also their coach and helping them there. So it exposes people to platforms and opportunities that they would not ordinarily have an opportunity to be engaged with. And you know, Jeffrey, hit it on the head that we are in a unique position to really showcase our platform and service to the greater community. And when people see somebody that looks like you, walks like you, talks like you or have been in an experience or in a space like you, then to your point, they are open and they're willing and they're willing to be vulnerable and open up and share with you. So when you hear things like, you know, hey Ted Metellus, what's your story? And I go, well, I'm first generation born in the United States. My family and brothers and sisters are all from Haiti, you know, were born and raised in the Bronx, New York. You know, I went to school in the Bronx. I went to college in upstate New York. There's nothing particularly fancy or amazing and spectacular. And they're like, wait, you're just like me. And okay, so let's talk a little bit about your journey and how you got here and how you navigate these things, because that's going to be of value to me or value to those around you. So those are things that I have an awareness of, and I think it's similar in a small way to what Jeffrey has gone through in being able to be there in that space. And, you know, as you said, you know, a vulnerability. And I say I learned that also with being authentic, you know, being true to yourself in that space and what not. And then when you mentioned like watching and turning on, you know, the Olympics or looking at major sports and seeing what, quote unquote, the traditional looking race director is, and then you've got a six foot two black man who rolls up and in the cut. I'm not your average, you know, in many ways. So, you know, I'm who I am and what I am. And being authentic and navigating through these, you know, different settings and whatnot. But, you know, I'll tell you a quick story, and I’ll transition over back to you, but like. When you have a name like Ted Metellus, it’s a pretty generic name. You don’t know what I look like. And many, many years ago when I was working other events and I would meet our partners, I would say, I'll meet you at the hotel lobby at such and such time. And I always get there a couple minutes early and I’d sit there and watch the game play and they’ll look at people walking through the door and are like, “Are you Ted?” “Are you Ted?” And I’m sitting there and I’m just chuckling to myself. And then I get up and I introduce myself. They’re like, Well, I like I'm sitting. And they're like, “Wow! Well you’re not, you know, you don’t look like a Ted, you don’t sound like a Ted.” I’m like, what does a Ted look like or sound like? You know. Or what they usually clean themselves up with is, “you don’t sound like you’re from New York.” And I’m like, “Yeah, born and raised.” And so yeah, I think just being genuine and authentic can do well in the sense and realizing that you being in a room is opening up eyes to others and more serve those that look like you. Yeah, thank you very much. And I know exactly what you're speaking of in terms of arriving early and just-- yeah, I got it. I got it. You mentioned young girls. You mentioned the I think assistant police chief, you know, NAMI’s excited to have Maybelline be the first cosmetic partner of the TCS New York City Marathon and have their members of Team Brave running to support NAMI, including NAMI Ambassador Tayshia Adams. We're really excited. And while I can't lace them up, when I say I can’t, I could, but you have to keep the race open for about three days. Well Dan, yesterday in partnership with NAMI because we do a 5K called A Mindful 5K, so, you know, it's been an amazing partnership with NAMI there to really look at that and showcase it in May, which is, you know, Mental Health Awareness Month, so 5K distance, 3.1 miles, definitely doable. And it was great because talking about creating a safe space for people to get out there, that was really, truly rooted in what that event is and truly what we do at Road Runners. Yes. thank you. And I will, I was telling Jeffrey before you joined, I've just started running and that running I'm doing is a 5K. That’s the distance of it. So I'll get myself ready for 2025. How about that? If you want to take it from a few days to a few hours, I'm happy to help you any time. Oh man, thank you very much. Thank you very much. That's okay, I got you. Okay, I'm in. I'm in. Count me in. So, Ted, your authenticity is-- you lead with authenticity. So you don't like labels, but you are called a trailblazer. And you're opening doors for the Black community to run for not only their mental health, but their physical health. It was our surgeon general that coined the phrase years ago:“There is no mental health without physical health.” Tell me more about you being called the trailblazer and how you’re trying to get more Black men to talk about their own mental health? Wow. So you're right. I don't ever see myself in that position. You lead by example and you do what is right and good. And you know, a lot of that is just how you were raised. My parents did an amazing job of really setting us up to be of service and be of service to other people. That translates over in action. So when I'm in this space, I'm highly conscious of that and really working alongside the incredible people at New York Road Runners and our DEIS department, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Responsibility team to really see how we can open up the door for more, you know, quote unquote, others to get in and engage. And again, to the earlier point that I mentioned, Dan, with the ‘did you know,’ did you know that New York Road Runners has Black roots, you know, and really showcasing that so people feel that they're welcome. The other thing, too, is demystifying running. You know, running was always seen as some sort of thing that a small, you know, white guy that runs running really fast is the only person that does that. And then you get out there and you see all shapes, all sizes, all abilities that are out there going and running and moving, then that really changes things and it really inspires people. So that lines up with that as well. So, you know, while I am seen as the first Black race director for a major marathon, the first Black race director of the TCS New York City Marathon, I won't be the last. There'll be many more out there. But it was my job and my responsibility to showcase all that has been done in the space by those that represent us. But that’s key. When lining it to mental health and wellness, you know, my journey was a little bit different than Jeffrey’s when it came down to running. I ran in high school just because it was part of an activity. And the thing that I really loved when I ran cross-country and track is the team component to it, you know, really doing something as a team. And I was not a great athlete in school. I was second class, you know, and I was still out there and we really supported one another. And that camaraderie was really beautiful. And I see it now as an adult running with my friends and colleagues. And even when I'm working at now. I mean I ran, I stopped running. Being healthy and being active was always a thing because that was just what we did when we were kids, you know, growing up in the ‘70s and ’80s in the city, like you wanted to be the fastest kid on the block. You wanted to ride a bicycle, you wanted to play tag and [unintelligible] and all these other fun New York City games that we played as kids. And it was great to be active that way. So I'm grateful for that. But my kick off into running was when I came to New York Road Runners and our office was, you know, it still is by Central Park. But then it was right on Central Park. 89th Street on the corner, and I see all these people running. And again, you see all shapes, all sizes, all abilities that are out there running. And you see the elation that they have when they cross the finish line, whether it was a 5K or a 5-miler, and I was like, you know what, let me get out there, see what this thing was all about. And then I went out and similar to Jeffrey, it started small and build it. You know, I ran based on time and not distance. I'm going to run for 3 minutes. I'm going to run for 5 minutes. I run for 10 minutes and build and build and build and I did that. And then I ran my first half marathon in ‘07 in Philadelphia, and it was one of the greatest experiences and I had all the pre-race angst and jitters and so on and so forth. Here I am years later, 44 half marathons in and I still run and I still enjoy it and I still have the best time. I’ve run two marathons. I ran New York twice in ‘08 and in ’13. And it was one of the greatest experiences ever. But what I now realize, as a, I can’t even consider myself a young adult out here, I'm middle age right now. But middle-aged, you know. You know, keeping it together because you know. But the thing that I realize that's been great has been the mental benefits of running. And what we have seen when I mentioned the next running boom, that next running boom came from COVID. You could not go to gyms, you could not be indoors. But what you could do is be outside. And here in New York City, former Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, who is on our board, who is an avid runner, who just ran Berlin as well, were easy to the program to close off access to many community parks in the city. And, you know, I took it upon myself to get out every single day and run or walk every day, because that was going to be my fresh air for the day. I knew that I was going to be able to get out there and do that. And what I started to see was it was a tremendous mental outlet to let myself just go and breathe and be and go. And with that, I started to feel good, you know, and I then was, you know, sitting in front of my computer for 8 hours, hammering along, trying to keep things going with us during that really, really turbulent time. But I realized that I felt better when I went out for a run or a walk than I did the days that I did not. So I was like, all right, well, I run in the morning and walk in the afternoon. And then again, still feeling so much better. So I think now folks are starting to see the direct correlation between the physical movement and the emotional and mental benefits from that physical movement where you're moving, you’re active and the endorphins are going. All that stuff, lines up and connects there. So again, through action, through example, you know, through movement and activity, folks are seeing that and jumping on it as well. That's fantastic. And I'll go back to, I was a cross-country runner in high school and had the shin splints and all that stuff. I knew what I wasn't, which was a sprinter, so I was a middle distance runner and I did the cross-country and all that kind of stuff. And then even in college. Well, I played tennis in college, the running was the was what would get me in shape to play the long matches and our son now who was in Japan is headed back he joined a running club and he joined the running club because of the mental aspects of it and he's with us right now until he leaves. And every day he says, “Dad, I got to go out. I got to go for a run.” And he'll run 8 to 10 miles. So I understand it. And I love what you said about demystify running, because we also at NAMI, we want to demystify mental health, particularly for our community. We will talk about an ACL injury, we will talk about shin splints, we'll talk about hips, but we won't talk about from the neck up. And that's the journey. That's the opportunity. So let me come to Jeffrey for a second. You're known as the “Chief of Good Vibes.” Tell me how you keep a positive outlook for your members, even if you are having a bad day. Well, I think, first of all, when it comes to these days is acknowledging how you feel, being aware of what's going on with within you, inside of you. And, you know, healing is a lifelong journey. But I can certainly say when I started my personal healing journey and started to feel the difference of how it can feel, whether it was physical movement, mental movement, I would never want to go back to not feeling that way. So I learned that the only way out is through. That is something I believe in very truly. So even if I have a rough day, you've got to go through it. But allow yourself to feel it. And you know, if you can communicate it or talk to people about it, write it in a journal, whatever helps for you, but it's gonna go pass. And just that kind of really helps me. I am the “Chief of Good Vibes” because I believe every situation that comes, even if it's not one you chose, can teach you something. So if I can sit down for and be like, I’m feeling this way, it doesn't excite me or I don't want to feel this or I don't want to have this loss in my life, but what is it here to teach me? What can I learn from it? How can I grow from it is something that I always will try to sit down and do. And also then on the other side, you know, even if I have a bad day, unquote, I have this community looking at me, wanting to run with me, wanting to work with me. And that is one of my greatest gifts and blessings. I truly believe that I am on this earth here to connect with humans and to move together and to have these moments. So I am grateful that I get to do this, that I get to connect with the people. So that is something that will always cheer me up no matter what's going on. And, you know, I run a lot. I run for charity and I get to run. So every time you know something’s challenging me, I think of the people that would wish to be here today to go through these things or that will wish to be able to move in the way that I can move. And that is something every day you wake up in the morning, you can take it for granted. So you know, not everything's going to go the way it is, but even a loss like, you know, of a relationship or something, it's there to teach you something. The loss of a friendship is there to teach you something about yourself, set your boundaries, learn new things, that you can pull something to learn and grow from out of everything. And then you're always moving forward, even in the mental aspect. If you fail or you lose, you don't actually go back. You go forward with that load. So that is something that always gets me through. Thank you very much, Jeffrey. You have several class themes. The inspiration behind one of them, I wanted to see if you could tell us a little bit about it, and that one is, “Like no one's watching” and you do that one on the Peloton platform. So that's one of your themes, “Like no one's watching.” Tell us a little bit about the inspiration. Yes. so it's called “Like Nobody's Watching” and it's a theme or a series that we just started, a six part series. It's a walk plus run series. That is something that we offer on the platform. That means we have 50% of walking, 50% of running. And for me, it is something that we put together, what would you tell me if nobody was judging you? Well, how would you behave if nobody was watching and judging you? What would you dream to do if nobody was holding you back or your own limitations wouldn't hold you back? Would you sing along to a song that you really like if nobody was watching? Would you dance through your house when nobody is watching? So that's the question I often ask myself in life, and I'm sure we all know this moment. You're at your house, you're in the shower, you're Hoovering, your favorite song comes on and you find yourself dancing along, singing along. You know, we all can’t be Beyonce, but we can have that release of something that is good for us. And growing up, sometimes we unfortunately learn to hold back, to not say things, to not enjoy the things we might enjoy, you know, dancing around or being silly or playing in a certain way as an adult. First of all, it also adapts what you said earlier, Ted. Like demystify running. So many people tell me, “I'm not a runner, I'm not a this.” So with this class, I want to take them on this journey to start at a walk. And when you feel comfortable and ready with the music, that will just distract you that you're even working out. You might be running at some point. And I think there is a beauty to that that once we allow ourselves to just try and to just dream. And it also goes back to the, you can't fail. If you've tried, you're never going to fail. I truly believe in that. And it's just a safe space, a happy space and distraction-free zone for you just to be, move, and do what you want to do. Movement is different for all of us. So if you can come into this class, enjoy your favorite tunes. Trust me, if you try, you will sing along. If you can enjoy your favorite tunes and have some movement, whatever that means to you and your abilities that day or in that moment is absolutely judge-free as long as you try and just have a good time. That's fantastic. That is absolutely fantastic. I would tell you that it is inspirational just the way you lead and you set it up where, hey, let's all get in this together. And Ted, you mentioned the Road Runners. And, you know, we talk about, you know, we have our support groups and that's where we bring the community together. And the person that comes in that support group, they may have a loved one that's been diagnosed with schizophrenia or they just had an episode of early psychosis, or they live with bipolar. They’ve never been to a support group and all of a sudden they look across the table and the story they're hearing back is their story. And they say that somebody is going through the same thing. When you talk about the Road Runners, the comparison is community, that it's a collective. What do we need to do to help us Black men talk about mental health and know that they are not alone, that they have community? I think it's about finding the platform. Either finding it, creating it, doing it, or establishing it, engaging with it. That's the key thing that's there. So our organization is a, you know, nonprofit, community running organization. The platform by which we engage is through running people coming together. So what is that platform that can be engaged? So is it, you know, an organization like BMR, which is Black Men Run where these guys all come together and are they have inside meetings and programs to talk about, you know, not only physical health and preparation, but mental health and preparation and being amongst other peers to help navigate through that. There's organization like BGR is another one, Black Girls Run, which is a national organization as well, that creates that safe space for folks to come together and be in that space. So finding, identifying and engaging with a platform that you can identify with and connect with, I think is that first big step there, because then you'll be able to have folks that you can talk to and share and say, oh wow, I am dealing with this, how do i navigate it? I have a child that's going through something. I have a loved one that's going through something. I'm going through something. What are the tools that may be out there that's available to me to help navigate through this? And many of my friends talk about the benefits of having therapy and many of my dearest, dearest friends who I love so much. One in particular who shared with me, therapy gives you the tools to be able to cope and navigate through things, gives you the tools to know how to negotiate certain situations. And I think that that's tremendous. And I was blessed to have a woman who I worked closely with, who was my executive coach, a.k.a my work therapist, you know, some shout outs to Cheryl, who always would ask me, how did that make you feel? How did that make you feel? I function in a black and white space. So what does that mean? If it's a 10x10, we've got to put a 10x10 item there. You know, if you're expecting 5,000 athletes, we need to make sure we have ample resources and supplies for those folks with a little bit of coverage on the back end. If we're predicting weather, what are the things that we need to navigate, you know, logistically and operationally? So that's how my brain works from a logistics perspective. And usually I kind of like, the feelings stuff kind of goes to the side. And working with her in particular over the years, she's really stressing the importance of how does something make you feel? And another challenge that I want to give is one of my dear colleagues who said many, many years ago, the old Maya Angelou line of, you know,“you may not remember what I said, you may not remember what I did, but you will remember how I made you feel.” You know, so the feeling component is key. And I think that in many times when you talk about creating walls and kind of not being vulnerable and kind of keeping things up is the not letting yourself feel. That's something that I have to navigate through a lot because you have to push through it no matter how hard it is. And athletes can speak to this. Jeffrey, you know. Like, I was hurting. I was hurting and I pushed and I pushed and I pushed. I didn’t let the feeling of wanting to quit come up over me. I pushed through it. That's a physical component. But then when you're talking about the emotional component and the mental component to the emotional engagement piece of that, allowing yourself to feel is that next piece there that really connects people. Yeah, and I'm so glad that you made the shout out and that question how did that make you a how does it make you feel? And where I want to go is ask you both mentally, how do you manage? And I know it's running. I know this is a very almost a very logical answer to this question. You’re 30 days out, Ted. The anxiety, the stress, how do you manage it? Because you can't necessarily always go out and run because you're the guy that has to bring all of the different folks together to work through whatever the issue might be that you didn't expect. So how do you minimize the stress and the anxiety? Wow. You know, how do I minimize it? I mean, there was a very simple question someone asked me recently, like, you know, what are you most concerned about come November 3rd. When I tell them there's two variables that I have zero
control over:I can't control the weather. I don't know what the weather's going to be in 30 days time. I say knowns, but unknowns. Like you plan for the knowns, you prepare for the unknowns. So you kind of get that piece in there. And the other thing too, is just like, you know, ensuring that we have a safe and logistically sound event in our marathons two days before the elections. Lots going on in the world currently right now as we talk about it. A lot that weigh on people. So how do you navigate those things as best you can? And you put every fiber of your being there to ensure that any question has an answer, any problem has a solution as to the best to your degree. But to ultimately answer your question, it's like, I know it's hard to get out and run, and I know this is about running but it even if I can get out and walk a couple of blocks and take deep breaths, that is something over nothing, whether it's meditation action, whether it's quiet sitting, whether it's prayer, something to center yourself. That's key and important there. When you have someone in your life, whether it's a loved one, a friend, a homie, a therapist, your boss, a colleague, someone you can talk to and let your guard down and say, hey, here's what's going on here. This is the weight that I carry on my shoulders. I mean, those are just some of the ways that I navigate through all of this stuff. You know, I'll say really quickly to close, no matter how hard it is, it was harder before. Okay. Because it was the first time you did it and it was where you had circumstances that were beyond your control. So two super fast examples that I give people often. When folks are like, my God, this is going to be so difficult, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Imagine doing this in 1976 without cell phones, without computers, without all of this technology that's available to us now that really actually make our jobs easier and connect people easier and communicate to the masses easier now than we did back then. So that's one thing that I say and a little bit more of a modern component is, my first year as race director was in 2021. We were still navigating through COVID at that time. You know, people were in masks. We had half the field size that we normally ask. We only had 25,000 athletes and there were so many unknowns that it almost weighed the knowns out. But you had to put in the work, trust in the people around you, and really, truly stand up strong and say, okay, this is what we're doing and we're going to double down on what it is that we know truly in our bones is this is our space and this is what we do well. And if you ask me what was the toughest time that I've ever had professionally, it was during that time, you know, but we executed. We had an incredible, incredible marathon that year. Let's celebrate the 50th anniversary, which would have been 2020. But because of COVID, we pushed into 2021 with half the field size, you know, as the first time race director there. But I didn't do it alone. One, I had the resources and people around me, too. And I was in the best shape of my life because your boy was running every day as an outlet for keeping himself healthy mentally and physically. So try resist, just lean back that, it’s just the experience and understanding that these steps have been gone through before. And if it's something you have not gone through, there are those out there that can help navigate your way. Yeah. thank you. And I know you had to have been in the best shape because you were not multitasking. You were triple tasking. And I know that you gave all kinds of kudos at the beginning to the total team effort. But I also know what you independently have to do as the leader. So we're going to have a wrap up. But before I wrap up, Jeffrey, I want to come to you and say, you know, your marathons, you've been raising money for very important causes and charities. Tell us who you support and why it's important to you to raise awareness that way. So when I ran my first half marathon in 2016, I ran to the finish line and I cried like a baby because I felt something had changed within me. And it was a moment. I get goose bumps just talking about it. I crossed that finish line. That was the Berlin Half Marathon 2016, and that's where I lived at the time. And I felt something that changed with me. The training and the running had done something to me physically, but also mentally, especially mentally. And I got into the space of, okay, I can do this, I get to do this. I would love for the world to experience the feeling of running. So I went kind of on this journey to figure out how can I support others, how can I show others what running is about and how amazing it is? And it kind of came to that. I would love to focus my energy on supporting people that need support because often I think, you know, I can tell you how exciting running is and I can tell you every day and you know, my smile and everything should tell it. But some people just don't want to try that. And it's not for them. Or they say, you know, maybe this is not my journey, but I want to help somewhere where it would make a difference for people that need it. So I was like, okay, do I want to educate people? Do I want to, you know, donate my own money? And I was like, but I can run. I can run for the people that need it. I can raise the awareness with my smile, with my joy and, you know, the energy that I have for running. So I started looking into charities that I can support. And actually through joining Peloton in 2021, it was the year 2022 that I connected with (RED) who’s a nonprofit organization to fight AIDS and HIV. I had a meeting where I put out that I would love to work with them, with my team, and five days later or four days later, (RED) actually reached out to Peloton to connect in some kind of way. So we just put one and one together and I've been fundraising for them since I ran the Boston Marathon this year, and I'm running Chicago this year in support of them. And the reason I chose that organization is, first of all, because I'm personally part of the queer community. So I thought it was important to support my community and because my uncle. So when I was younger, I was informed that my uncle was diagnosed with HIV at a young age and it was always important to me to support him in some kind of way because my parents growing up always said, “You're like your uncle the way you laugh and talk and smile.” So we started building a connection from the age of 18, connected on our social media, on WhatsApp and all the things. And there is somebody in the US that until summer of this year I had never met, but we were so the same that I wanted to make a difference in his life from afar because he made such a difference in my life. When it comes to that aspect of positivity and seeing yourself in someone that you may not have seen yourself. And so yeah, I chose this charity and it's a great team. There is the saying“nobody will care as much as you do,” but I'm grateful to say working with (RED) or you know, other organizations, the team really cares and that's what makes the difference. You know, some people are there to do the races, to do the fundraising. Everybody helps in a different way. And I think it's important to show people out there, you don't have to be on the street raising your voice. You don't have to take your own money, but there is something you can do. The education you have can inform a conversation for somebody that might need it. You sharing, you know, knowledge in any other way on social media or other platforms can help somebody that's in this situation. So I'm trying to bring everybody together and everybody can do that part in the way that they would like to do. That is wonderful and kudos to you and you used the word “care.” We say at, NAMI, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care and you demonstrate that. And I wrote something down as you were speaking. Servant leader. You’re a servant leader and your servant leadership comes through in everything you do. You both are. And you do it with joy and with a smile. I would be remiss if I didn't do a shout out to Traci Coulter. Traci works with us, supports me, and I've never seen her, not with a smile, not with joy. No matter what's the fire inside, which I know as soon as the race gun starts, that fire is burning. But in terms of with us, she's always calm and very cool and very supportive. And I just wanted to make sure that I mentioned that because she is a marathoner and I think that the balance of what she does physically absolutely helps the mental. So we want to conclude with one last question. And as I do that, I definitely want to thank you all for making this investment. But we know the world can be a difficult place and sometimes it can be hard to hold on to this thing behind me called hope which is one of the five values of NAMI. That's why with each episode, we dedicate the last couple of minutes of the podcast to a special segment called Hold On to Hope. And it's really very basic. It's a question to ask both of you. What helps each of you hold on to hope? I'll just say quickly, though, it's being of service. Be of service where when you see the smile on someone's face or that sense of accomplishment that they have achieved in whatever the journey that they're on. I mean, you talk about a marathon. Well, life is a marathon, baby, so get ready for it. It’s ups and downs, it’s got its challenges. It's got to move arounds. But I think that if you can help somebody in any sort of way where you can, you have to be very mindful of that boundary as a key and being able to understand what you can lift, but where you can help and be of service to someone and then seeing them achieve that. And sometimes for me it is something as small as helping somebody understand that they can in fact do it. You know, we live in this “NDC” world.“No, don't, can't.” And if you tell somebody that they can and you give them the tools to do so and then they in fact accomplishment when you see them cross the finish line--and Jeffrey talked about crossing the finish line of the first half marathon and being completely overwhelmed and you help them achieve those types of goals. And whether it is through, you know, physical activity, running and those types of things, that's great. But it may just be something as simple as just a helping hand or a pat on the shoulder or, hey, you know what? You're doing a really good job today or thank you. Those things do that, and that's being of service there. And I think that helps people, you know, feel and see hope. Thank you. Thank you, Ted. Jeffrey? I have to shift that one second. It's just, a few years back, I felt I was losing hope. So I was, how can I reconnect with hope? And for me, something that really changed my life is being grateful. Gratitude, sharing, gratitude for the things that you have for the hope that somebody has had. And you are grateful for everything that you get to experience in life, because that then leaves the door open for more to come, or even, you know, gratitude for me being able to communicate what I can communicate, gratitude for me being able to connect with others because that always opens the door to hope for more to come or for other people to get inspired and share with other people. So gratitude is a big thing. You know, I promised myself that every day that I wake up, I open my eyes and I literally said out loud, If I get to do that another day, I would be grateful. And I communicate that. And I communicate it with people, whether it's my members that I take classes with, whether it's for this conversation. Ted I could ramble on for another 10 minutes how grateful I am for you without you even knowing. I sometimes ask myself the question, if I wasn't here tomorrow, would the people I love know that I love them and would they know, how grateful I was for every step of them in my life. That is--that’s incredible. And I also want to share with you guys that you know, being of service and gratitude, you know, what I got through all of this is giving versus getting. That's who you all are giving versus getting. And I just want to thank you. And we understand that, you know, BMR (Black Men Run), Black Girls Run, their networks out there to help us with our health, not our physical or our mental, but our health if we simply just reach out and connect. So what gives me hope is meeting gentlemen like you and interacting with you because you guys are a beast in this space and you make things happen. And this fills my cup, quite frankly. This fills my cup. So, you know, I'm very grateful. Let me close by saying this has been Hope Starts With Us, a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If you are looking for mental health resources, you're not alone to connect with the NAMI Helpline and find local resources, visit NAMI.org/help. Text “helpline” to 62640 or dial 800-950-NAMI(6264). Or if you are experiencing an immediate suicide, substance use or mental health crisis, please call or text 988 to speak with a trained support specialist or visit 988Lifeline.org. I'm Dan Gillison. Thanks for listening and be well.
