Michael Rodgers - New York Road Runners, VP of Youth and Community Engagement

If you like heavy breathing, you'll like this interview! It's my first live, in-person, on-the-run interview of 2020.   And I couldn't have asked for a better person to run with than Michael Rodgers, the New York Road Runners VP of Youth and Community Engagement. Michael directs a variety of programs that offer the running community opportunities to actively support NYRR's mission to help and inspire people through running. These programs include: 1. The NYRR Team for Kids charity team that has more than 7,000 annual members who raise money for free running programs serving more than 267,000 kids in New York City and across the country. 2.  NYRR Open Run, a free community run/walk program in 16 parks in New York City with more than 20,000 participants. 3.  NYRR Run for the Future, a high-touch, high-impact summer program for girls in their senior year of high school to build self-esteem, confidence, and leadership skills, while training for a 5K race. Participants who complete the program receive a $2,000 college scholarship. 4.  NYRR Community Champions and Youth Ambassadors programs. In this run, Michael takes me for a tour of Central Park's North Woods. It's funny... I've run in Central Park hundreds of times, but I always run the same route-- the main loop.  This was a great reminder for how fun it can be to change things up and get off the (literal) beaten path to explore new places...  and ideas. Big thanks to Michael for running with me-- and carrying most of the conversation when I was breathing too hard! #EveryMileMatters!