[music]

Brian: Brain Lehrer on WNYC and the phones are yours, New York City marathon runners. Robin Maplewood, you're on WNYC. Congratulations and I see it was your first marathon?

Robin: Yes, first marathon. Had never really run ever anything in my life and started running last October. Got super into it and ended up doing the race with a friend. It was absolutely amazing. It was so incredible. I was one of those people who listen to some of the obituaries that were written about New York City over the last year and a half, and boy, I was wrong. That place, every single mile from the minute you got off the bridge, there were people, there was music, there were signs, there were bananas and sandwiches and shots of jagermeister, and it was just spectacular.

Brian: Did you listen to anything or just take it all in?

Robin: Well, it's so funny, part of my running training experience was so much about immersing myself in music I hadn't listened to before or digging into different podcasts and audio books. I had curated quite a playlist and my buddy who I ran with was like, "I wouldn't put the headphones in just yet. Give it a chance to see how you feel about the crowd." I ended up not putting my headphones in at all, which is just-- I can't even fathom the idea that I ran 26 miles without listening to any music.

That's how great it was and if you started feeling a little tired or sore, you ran a little closer to the sides of the road and people just start cheering your name looking, "You got this, you got this." It was magic.

Brian: That is such a great story and well told, Rob. Thank you very, very much. Musically, loving the city-wise as well as just the first-time nature of it. Alice in Manhasset, you're on WNYC. Hi, Alice. Another first timer, right?

Alice: Yes, this was my first time and I have to completely agree. I felt like I got to listen to live music in all the boroughs and it was just a massive party and I completely underestimated how much fun I would have.

Brian: Awesome. What was the hardest part?

Alice: I had a lot of trouble in the beginning around mile eight. I thought it was getting too difficult too soon, but it actually got easier as I went on. Mile 13, I got a second wind and whenever the crowd got a little bit quiet, it got a little bit harder but I actually sent out a playlist to a bunch of friends and family and had them add songs. Then I looked at it before, so when the song came on, I was able to think of them. It was like they were with me on my run. That was a lot of fun.

Brian: Oh, so you were listening to a playlist as well as taking in the sounds of the streets?

Alice: Yes. I would pause my music when the crowd was really going and then I would unpause if I felt like I needed a little boost.

Brian: What was on your playlist? Anything that stands out for you that you want to shout out?

Alice: I listened to a lot of Queen that I loved and I listened to EDM if people added that and some Bruce Springsteen, but it felt very specific to the friends and family that added the song. It was their music, which I liked because it was fresh to me, so that was fun.

Brian: That's a great playlist. I wonder how many people listened to both Bruce Springsteen and Queen and EDM, but that EDM, that electronic dance musical will keep you going, right?

Alice: Right, exactly. That fast speed, it kept with my cadence.

Brian: Alice, thank you very much. Here is, wow, David in Los Angeles, who flew to New York for the marathon, first marathon. David, is that right?

David: That's me, thank you so much. It was an incredible experience and when it started, I literally got tears in my eyes. I started thinking about family and people that are important to me. I ran it with, I have a playlist just it's my playlist that I've listened to forever, just a volume of favorite songs. Then I had one earpiece in and then the other ear was to take in the energy from the crowd, which was electric. It was amazing and it's really, really cool.

Brian: Have you run other marathons before and this was your first New York or did you make New York your first marathon even though you live in LA?

David: Yes, so LA was my first marathon. Then I ran a half in where I live in Pasadena, California, which was in January. That was what inspired to run the LA Marathon. Then I added the New York to the bucket list and did it.

Brian: Are you home? Did you fly home last night after you ran?

David: No, I'm actually in a taxi on the way to JFK right now and I want to give a shout out to my sister-in-law, Lisa, who made time to have a lunch with me. She lives a little bit away and certainly, the last five miles I had crouched down just to stretch my legs and this guy thought I was in trouble. He asked if I was okay and then he and I finished it together, which was a really cool experience.

Brian: That's really great. Now, one last question, do people from LA run the marathon in a more laid back way than people from New York?

David: You know it. [laughs] We're a lot more chill and laid back and if we can do it without sweating--

Brian: What does that mean when you're running a marathon?

David: I guess I would say we're not in a big rush.

Brian: [laughs] Great story. I hear it in your voice. That's for sure. David, thank you very much, congratulations. Deborah in Manhattan, hardly your first marathon, Deborah, right?

Deborah: No, this was my 23rd New York City Marathon, my 58th marathon overall and my second marathon accompanying the legendary, Backwards Bill Reilly. I'm making a documentary film about this extraordinary individual. In 2019 and this year, I did the whole 26.2 marathons with a GoPro filming Backwards Bill and his team of three guys, Rodney, Harold and Hector. The four of them, Bill Reilly, Rodney Amble, Harold Chayefsky and Hector Ramirez are one moving party.

Brian: Tell us about them, what is what is backwards referred to in this case?

Deborah: Okay, Backwards Bill was born with cerebral palsy. He has very limited use of his upper body, so he propels himself in a three-wheeled chair. There's a wheel behind him and one on either side of him. Without using his upper body at all, he kicks backwards, just using his legs. He needs the guides to steer him because facing backwards, he can't see where he's going. There's one guide on either side of him and then there's a person either in front or behind, clearing the crowd.

It took Backwards Bill, I think close to 8 hours and 20 minutes. We don't have the official time yet because he is just kicking with his lower legs and his feet, but he gets it done. He's 69 years old and he's done well over 40 marathons. He has an advanced form of cerebral palsy, but he is seriously out there, hence legendary Backwards Bill. He deserves to have a film made about him, and I am the filmmaker who's doing it.

Brian: What a wonderful story, an inspirational story of him and story of commitment and dedication of you. When will your film be out?

Deborah: When will I film him again?

Brian: No. When will your film come out and people can see it?

Brian: Oh, it's going to be a while. Thank you for asking, because his life is very full, the film will be taking that much longer. He has four siblings, all of whom I'm interested-- I'm interviewing and he went to college, had an accounting career, so I'm interviewing all those people in his professional life. Then there's all the people in his athletic life, so it's a really, really full life. Bill himself, at this point in his life, close to retirement, he wants to going forward, ever increases advocacy for other disabled people just to encourage them to really get out there.

He does this through something called the Achilles Track Club, which is an organisation that's worldwide and they support athletes of all kinds of disabilities. Everyone is getting out the door, into the fresh air, moving and getting healthier and that's what Achilles is all about and that's what Bill is all about. The community is just really strong, and more importantly, it is crazy fun. It is a really, really fun community and if people want to find that, it's Achilles. A-C-H-I-L-L-E-S. My name is Deborah, D-E-B-O-R-A-H, Harse, H-A-R-S-E, and I have a YouTube channel and on there is a four-and-a-half-minute piece that I made of the 2019 marathon, which can give you a sense of what's coming up.

Brian: That's good. Deborah, maybe you'll finish the film this year and you and Bill can come on the show together next year, just before the marathon. See if that happens and you can be in touch, and thank you and congratulations on many levels for what you did yesterday.

Deborah: Thank you very, very much and thank you for having us in this segment. Appreciate it.

Brian: Deborah, thanks a lot. All right, one more. Victoria in Brooklyn, fifth-time runner. Hi, Victoria.

Victoria: Hi, how are you?

Brian: Good.

Victoria: It's amazing. I'm doing well and I've-- Main reason I'm calling is to give a big shout out to my husband and one other person. My husband Marco was the first time he ran a marathon where we live in Brooklyn and he has always biked into Manhattan for work. During the pandemic he wasn't doing that, so he picked up running and decided to run the Marathon and he-- not only did he run it, he ran it sub-4. I was so happy, so proud for him.

Brian: Sub-4, under four hours, that's always an accomplishment.

Victoria: It is. I took seven minutes off my personal best, so I'm very happy for myself. The other person I have to give a huge shout out for is the school safety officer for my children's elementary school. My kids are in college and she was out there from the elite men to the buses coming in at the end of the marathon and we found each other on Flatbush, she ran with me and I-- Her name is Officer Sharon from PS 107. She is an amazing person. The crowds were incredible the whole way. Just a gorgeous, beautiful day.

Brian: Yay Officer Sharon, yay husband Marco, yay Victoria in Brooklyn. Congratulations. Thanks a lot for calling in and wrapping up this call.

Victoria: Thank you. Thanks for letting me share, bye.

Brian: Again, congratulations to everybody who ran the New York City Marathon.

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