Runners of NYC Podcast

Runners of NYC is relaunching. We're changing up the format — fewer studio sit-downs, more conversations out in the wild across the five boroughs — and we're thrilled to welcome Patryk Odedina as our new co-host. Same mission of surfacing the untold stories behind NYC's running culture, with a fresh approach to how we tell them. More soon.

First...Meet Patryk.

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"I was at the gym one day, doing the typical dude thing — asking my neighbor Kenny what he was working on. Chest? Back? Arms? He just looked at me, straight-faced, and said: 'Five or six miles on the treadmill.' I swear, I had never heard someone say something like that in my life. And Kenny's not some lean guy — he's a husky dude. So I'm standing there like, what is he talking about? Then he tells me he's training for the New York City Marathon. That's all I needed. I thought, if Kenny can do it, I can do it."

Patryk Odedina is a Bronx-based runner who picked up the sport at 29 after a gym conversation with his neighbor Kenny, and has since completed all six World Marathon Majors while chipping nearly 90 minutes off his debut time.

Background:

– Born in Poland, raised in the Bronx from age 3. Polish mother, Nigerian father.

– Played basketball at Lincoln High School (the one in Yonkers) and Lehman College. No running background.

– Spent six-plus years in tech sales

The origin story: Late 2018, lifting weights in a Harlem gym, his neighbor Kenny mentioned he was training for the NYC Marathon. Patryk had never heard anyone say something like that out loud. He signed up for the 2020 race through Team for Kids before knowing what a 5K was.

Marathon résumé:

– 2020 NYC (virtual): 4:40. Ran the actual route solo in the rain; mom as support crew.

– 2021 NYC: ~4:57. The 50th anniversary edition.

– 2023 London: 3:58. Finally cracked sub-4 on his fourth attempt.

– Six Stars: NYC → London → Berlin → Tokyo → Boston → Chicago. Wore a Yankees singlet in Boston.

– 2026 Jersey City: 3:09. Now chasing sub-3.

Beyond the race: Associate board member of the Bronx Burners, a 501(c)3 that has distributed $100K+ in college scholarships to Bronx youth. Creator of the Run Clubs of NYC video series — 49 NYC clubs and counting.

This is Runners of NYC. A podcast from CITIUS MAG. 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

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