Episode 52 – Victoria Lo, Chinatown Runners

“What I love about being out here and doing this is that I didn’t think it was accessible. I didn’t think I was going to run sub-3. Why would I think that? That’s crazy. But what I’ve been able to do is inspire people, which I wasn’t trying to do but I feel good about that. I just want us to all feel – especially Black American women – that we can do that. I started because I wanted to train and get faster. There’s nothing stopping anyone from doing that.” My guest for this episode is Erica Stanley Dottin, who is a mother of two, a wife and runs with Black Roses NYC. She is a producer and also works as the Tracksmith New York City Community Manager. At 48 years old, she just ran 2:52:05 for a huge personal best at the Berlin Marathon. The time makes her the 25th Black American woman to break three hours in the marathon since 1973. It’s a list that started being tracked by Ted Corbitt and is now kept by his son, Gary. We discuss her running career from her sprinting days at Georgetown to what called her to the marathon. What started off as a fun hobby for herself in the mid-2000s, she eventually found the Black Roses and coach Knox Robinson in New York City which elevated her training. We talk about how she managed to do it all and the inspiration she serves to other women in her community. You can follow Erica on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/estanleydott/ This is Runners of NYC. A podcast from CITIUS MAG. Host Chris Chavez looks to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter | @RunnersOfNYC Email any comments, feedback or possible sponsorship ideas to [email protected] Music for the show is by Future Generations. Podcast artwork by Kyle Klosinski.

“It’s refreshing because I spent quite a long time in my career thinking about being in the top 1%. Being able to pull back and realize that there is this joy and enjoyment that people have to go out…They may not have a reason to get up other than to be with some other people or have time for themselves in the chaotic space that is New York. It was nice to engage with running in a different way. That’s why it brings me a refreshment and a perspective that there are so many different stories and reasons why people are doing this and it doesn’t always have to be about making it to the very upper echelon.” For this episode, we welcome Rebeka Stowe. She is a hell of an athlete and has qualified for the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships seven times in her career, including the 2012 Olympic Trials in the steeplechase. She is a former Big 12 Conference champion while attending Kansas. She trained professionally for some time with the New Jersey-New York Track Club under legendary coach Frank Gagliano. He is just one of the handful of great coaches that she has surrounded herself with throughout her career, which has played a major role in her own coaching of all levels including high school. She's someone who has led so many people through their own running ups and downs because she cares about the person before the performance and you''ll learn why. She leads runs on Monday evenings out of As Is NYC in Hells Kitchen so if you're feeling inspired after she shares her story, join her for a run out of there. Follow Rebeka on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebekastowe/ This is Runners of NYC. A podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Zac Price and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter | @RunnersOfNYC Email any comments, feedback or possible sponsorship ideas to [email protected] Music for the show is by Future Generations. Podcast artwork by Kyle Klosinski.

"Going back to how welcoming Dao-Yi Chow, Eugene Tong and Ryo Yamamoto are. That sets the tone for everybody else. That's a huge reason why Paolo and I are as welcoming as we are. We've learned from them. We want to pay it forward. We do realize that yes, you can feel alone in a big group of people and we just want people to know that we're not going to leave you behind. That's something we try to drive on a weekly basis and try to emphasize that we are a club for the purpose of community. The PRs will come. It's crazy too that we're not totally after PRs – sometimes we are – but they just come because we're having fun while running. Sometimes you don't realize you're improving while you're improving." Our guests for this new episode are Paolo Alberca and Kim Yee. They are the captains of Old Man Run Club. Paolo Alberca is an account manager for a medical supplier. Kim works in the technology department within the Creative Artists Agency. In this episode, you'll get to know them, how they got into running and eventually caught the marathon big that now has them leading so many others on their respective marathon journeys. What started as a Saturday morning run crew has blown up into one of the biggest running clubs in New York City. They're currently in the middle of their summer training block called Oasis, which is a training and long run series aimed at getting people ready for the fall marathons. If you want the original story of how this club started by Ryo Yamamoto, Dao-Yi Chow and Eugene Tong, you can go back and listen to episode 15.  It's one of my favorite episodes, especially seeing the trajectory of this club's footprint on the scene. We recorded this at Nom Wah Tea Parlor, which is where we recorded another past episode. It's a little loud in the background but the substance of the conversation is quality. This is Runners of NYC. A podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Zac Price and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter | @RunnersOfNYC

“In 2006, I started running for a friend who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which is a rare blood cancer. She had been diagnosed years before but she had always seemed fine so I never really thought about it. When I saw her go through a stem cell transplant, where they basically beat your body down, strip you of your immune system, do the stem cell transplant and build you back up again. It’s a brutal process. I decided I wanted to do something just to support her. Then over the years, it just started to ramp up. I kept meeting more people involved with the organization and more people with the disease. As the events grew and got bigger with more attention, it just got to a point where I was running for this thing that was a whole lot bigger than I was.” Eric Gelber is an executive vice president at CBRE. He is a father. He is a husband. For some of our focus, he is also quite an endurance athlete. Back in 2016, he ran 200 miles in Central Park to honor his friend Anita and raise money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. As Anita bravely faced a cancer diagnosis, he took to running to raise money to aid in research, awareness and treatment. He ran marathons and ultra marathons but his biggest feat was running about 33 times around Central Park's outer six-mile loop. It didn't come easy. He failed at it twice but never gave up.  In this episode, you'll learn more about his work, how he juggles that work, run, life balance, overcoming failure and now raising more than 1.7 million dollars to fight multiple myeloma. You can watch a documentary about that 200 mile run on Amazon Prime, if you search 200 miles. It’s a great film. On Sept. 17, he will return to Central Park but not to run. He’s rowing 200 miles while at at Engineer’s Gate. If you’re in the area, come out to row alongside him, cheer him on and learn more about his cause.  Follow Eric on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justamiletogo/ Check out his fundraising efforts for his 200-mile row in Central Park: https://give.themmrf.org/fundraiser/3270439 Watch 200 Miles on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/200-Miles-Eric-Gelber/dp/B081S8P7QH This is Runners of NYC. A podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Zac Price and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter | @RunnersOfNYC

“Chinatown Runners is not a crew and it's not based in any specific locality. It's not a crew. It's a movement. I wanted it to feel bigger than just this one group that really sort of permeated throughout the entire running community worldwide. When you think about it, there are Asian-American Pacific Islander-centric communities all over the world outside of just America and Canada....Every neighborhood and borough has a dozen or so specialized running crews and groups, which is amazing and I don't want to try to eat anybody's lunch, but the idea is for it to feel really inclusive. And that's kind of the reason why I fight hard to say that it's not a running crew, but it's a movement...All you have to do to tag in is start or end a run in a Chinatown or an Asian-American Pacific Islander neighborhood or business even. Throw up the hashtag and show some love to a community that can really use it right now.” Victoria Lo is a designer and senior creative with years of experience in New York City's running community. Most recently, she started Chinatown Runners as a way of bringing support, awareness and love to protect and preserve the Chinatowns and AAPI-centric neighborhoods in cities across the world. She underscores that this is not a performance team, crew or club but a movement. As noted on their website: "We run to fill in the gaps that global tourism can’t fill during a worldwide pandemic. We run to keep the streets safer by watching out for the most vulnerable. We run to celebrate the diverse cultural narratives that make our country wonderful." In this episode, you'll hear more about what drove her to take action and start this group as anti-Asian hate crimes and violence is on the rise. Follow Victoria on Instagram:@omgvics More on Chinatown Runners: https://www.chinatownrunners.com/ | Instagram Resources: The AAPI Community Fund; Stop AAPI Hate; Save Our Chinatowns;  More here Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 21 at 10 a.m. at Union Square Park. Follow @runningtoprotest for more information. This is Runners of NYC. A biweekly podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Leigh Anne Sharek and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Episode photo by @crossinguard_ninja.

“Yeah, it would be a bummer if there’s no Olympic Games because I feel like it would be a very political Games. But at the same time, I’m in fencing. I know that people forget the day after the Games are done that I go back to being a regular person. A million people could kneel at the Games and I don’t think you’d see a million people do it. You’re going to see a few special ones. That special one is important. But the idea that people felt comfortable to do that is so powerful for all the communities and all people. For people to be able to come and say what they want to say without worrying about the repercussions of losing monetary value or their families being hurt or being kicked out of the things that they want to do. That’s important. That’s the one thing I hope maintains and stays after all these movements.” Race Imboden is a bronze medalist from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in fencing. So you're probably wondering what's a fencer doing on a running podcast? In addition to his success in sport, Race made headlines as one of the top American athletes who has made a political statement and demonstration at a global championship. At the 2019 Pan American Games, he won a gold medal and took a knee during the national anthem. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee placed him on a 12-month probation as a result of his actions. Imboden accepted the sanction but has never been silenced in his message against racism, gun violence, racial inequality and police brutality. Through his work with Everytown, an anti-gun violence organization, he's looking to educate people and see change across the country. You'll hear why this means so much to him in our conversation but also he will be a featured speaker at the next Running to Protest event in New York City.  Mark your calendars for Sunday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. at Washington Square Park. Follow @runningtoprotest for more information. Follow Race Imboden on Instagram: @race_imboden This is Runners of NYC. A biweekly podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Leigh Anne Sharek and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify! MERCH NOW AVAILABLE HERE Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

“I come from the South Bronx. I had to leave the Bronx to have access to these things. I had to go downtown to take arts classes, writing, theater and poetry classes. What did I do it? I brought all that shit back Uptown so that everyone had access to that and it wasn’t just me. I felt horrible to be in these spaces that I knew would never accept me if I was with my homies from the block. They would never allow me. It was important for me to be the conduit or in the middle and maneuver through these spaces to see what I can do so I could bring it back." – Patty “There’s a lot of dope things in the hood. We’re trying to empower people to celebrate the dope things. It’s not always about getting away and getting other resources from outside of the hood. That’s super important but it’s also about celebrating the things that are dope in the hood, why we should stay in the hood and foster it...While you’re going out and getting resources from other places and seeing the world, you’re also celebrating your people and the world that you’re in while uplifting those narratives that are from the block." – Reph This episode has no shortage of hype and energy as we’re joined by Amilcar Alfaro-Martell (Reph) and Patricia Marte (Patty Dukes), who started Circa '95. They’re a hip hop music collective with Afro-Latino roots that actually started off as a podcast back in the day. Their work looks to mesh the best of music, art, culture and athletics through running. They’ve performed at Carnegie Hall, SXSW and even at the Smithsonian Museum. Reph and Patty grew up in Washington Heights and the Bronx and when they’re not hosting their own runs they can be found running with We Run Uptown. (If you want the story behind that group’s origins check out one of our earliest episodes with Hector Espinal.) We kicked off the new year with them because it was recently announced they were among six winners of the Tracksmith Fellowship and look to create a Hip-Hop music project “born at the intersection of arts, athletics, and social justice.” We touch on that, the importance of celebrating and cultivating talent in the community, the connection between hip hop and the urban running scene and much more. Follow Circa '95: @circa95 | https://www.circa95.com/ Follow Reph: @RephStar Follow Patty Dukes: @Pattydukes This is Runners of NYC. A biweekly podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Leigh Anne Sharek and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify! MERCH NOW AVAILABLE HERE Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

“Running communities are a reflection of American communities, and if we know that American communities have been shaped by racist real estate laws; racist criminal justice systems; racist police officers; racist, segregated schools…how can there not be racism in running?” This is an episode of Social Sport – another show on the CITIUS MAG Podcast Network. This show is hosted by Emma Zimmerman and features conversations with endurance athletes of all types committed to fostering social change. The athletes she speaks with on this show are climate change activists, mental health advocates, and promoters of more inclusive outdoor spaces. Through Social Sport, she shares the stories and thoughts of people who explore the connection between sport and activism in their lives. Ben Chan is an ultra runner and activist, perhaps best known in the New York running community for his racing attire—leopard print short-shorts and a cowboy hat. But in recent times, Ben has also become well known for his activism. On this episode of Social Sport, we focus on Ben’s exchanges with a certain, high-profile race director (Gary Cantrell AKA "Lazarus Lake") who banned Black Lives Matter from his events. It can be difficult to talk negatively about people who have large followings, lots of power, and have created events that are, frankly, important to the running community. But Ben and I both feel that we need to hold everyone accountable for their words and for the communities they create—in sports and beyond. This episode was recorded about a week ago, and since that time, more exchanges have unfolded; "Lazarus Lake" shared his racist speech openly on a prominent podcast. So Ben’s sentiments shared in this episode are, perhaps, even more important. Follow Ben on Instagram: @malerunner More episodes of Social Sport can be found on CITIUS MAG. Subscribe and listen to Social Sport on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts. Also discussed in this episode: The importance of Ben’s running outfit for challenging stereotypes of Asian-Americans Running as a form of expression The Barkley Marathons documentary Outside Magazine article, “Why Did a Virtual Ultra Ban ‘Black Lives Matter” Runner’s World article on Ben and Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee Ben’s post on anti-Ku Klux Klan residents and pro-Trump residents holding opposing rallies, 11 miles from Big Backyard Ultra The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin The Autobiography of Malcolm x, as told to Alex Haley

Meggie Sullivan is a communications strategist with a specialty in architecture, design, and lifestyle. On the track and roads, she's one of the fastest women in New York City, who has a 4:18 personal best for 1,500 meters and 4:46 for the mile. She's just wrapping up her time as a captain and board of directors member with Central Park Track Club and embarking on some new and exciting projects. We talk about that as well as her up and down journey into coaching and getting involved as a mentor for youth runners. Follow Meggie on Instagram. Episode photography by Zach Hetrick | Tracksmith This is Runners of NYC. A biweekly podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Leigh Anne Sharek and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify! MERCH NOW AVAILABLE HERE Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

“With family comes a lot of responsibilities. With a lot of responsibilities can come a less active lifestyle is how I guess I can put it. I got caught up in life and just tried to work my ass off and raise the kids that I kind of let loose with myself as far as health and wellness was concerned. It wasn't really a priority. I didn’t really care what I looked like...From like 22 to 34, health just wasn’t a real priority for me...How I felt about myself physically wasn’t something I cared about but it should have been. I came to realize that as I got older and when I hit 240 pounds on the scale.” Lenny Grullon is one of the founders of the Boogie Down Bronx Runners, which is a group that comes out in full force at the New York City Marathon. It gets loud when you cross over into the Bronx and see their black and white shirts and flags. In this episode, you’ll learn about how that group came to be because when it all started no one initially showed up. You’ll learn about what also got Lenny started running late in his life and has kept him motivated to inspire others in his community. Outside of running, Lenny also shares what it’s been like being the Dean of Culture at DREAM Charter School in East Harlem and being a father of four in this pandemic. Follow Lenny Grullon on Instagram here. Follow the Boogie Down Bronx Runners on Instagram here. This is Runners of NYC. A biweekly podcast from CITIUS MAG. Hosts Leigh Anne Sharek and Chris Chavez look to bring you many of the untold stories behind luminaries and legends that make up New York City’s running culture. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Spotify! MERCH NOW AVAILABLE HERE Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.