Thursday, Mar 10, 2022 • 35min
I run to clear my mind with wheelchair-user Sandile Mkhize and street dancer Angyil
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Wheelchair-user Sandile Mkhize and street dancer Angyil share their running experiences with hosts Erin Azar and Ayo Akinwolere. Sandile Mkhize, from South Africa, shares his story of entering the Wings for Life World Run to raise money for spinal cord injury research after a motorbike accident that paralysed him. Then, Angela ‘Angyil’ McNeal, winner of Red Bull Dance Your Style USA, discusses her prolific dance career.
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(4)
Erin Azar
Ayo Akinwolere
Angela McNeal
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Erin Azar
00:04
We are rolling. Rolling, rolling.
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:07
Why I run.
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Erin Azar
00:09
Why I run.
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Sandile Mkhize
00:10
It has allowed me to expand and to rediscover.
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00:14
The Why I Run Podcast.
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Angela McNeal
00:16
Every time my feet hit the ground. I feel like I'm releasing stress.
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Sandile Mkhize
00:20
It's a form of active meditation and it allows me to clear the mind.
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Angela McNeal
00:24
I'm able to smell, I'm able to see, I'm able to feel.
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Erin Azar
00:28
Why I run.
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:29
Why I run.
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Sandile Mkhize
00:30
If not why not? You know what I mean?
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:33
Hello, you lot. This is the Why I Run podcast from
Red Bull
, my name's Ayo Akinwolere and I'm also joined byShare
Erin Azar
00:40
Erin Azar! What's up?
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Ayo Akinwolere
00:41
I love that, What's up is so American, like this is a space to explore different reasons why people run and it's not just about professional runners, it's very much about every sort of runner. People who stick their trainers on and just get out there and give it a go. I'm personally not a professional myself, but it does bring something special to my life without a shadow of a doubt. Whatever you do, whatever your relationship is with running, this is the podcast for you.
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Erin Azar
01:08
Right, and I mean I'm not a professional runner either. In fact, I am pretty frickin' slow, but you know what? I love it, I love it, I have fun with it and I always say, you know, the struggle unites us all. So I'm always like, you know, Team Struggle Run for life, because I don't care if you're an elite runner or beginner runner. We all have those bad runs and you know, finding those points of connection and also differences in those experiences is so important and also super interesting.
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Ayo Akinwolere
01:39
I love this Team Struggle for your running with yes Team Struggle. I understand exactly where you're coming from. And this podcast really is leading up to the
Wings for Life World Run
. Of course, it's about connecting people from all across the world and everyone is running together to raise money for research into spinal cord injury. This year, it's on the 8th of May. You might as well just put it in your diary now.Share
Erin Azar
02:03
I completely agree, Ayo, I am so excited. I've started training of course. And what I love is that 100% of the entry fee for this race goes to spinal cord injury research. So, if anyone's listening, you might be thinking about it, why not join the Why I Run podcast team? You, you can run with us virtually using the app or if you're lucky enough to be in one of those cities that have the flagship runs, that's a real life in person run, you can actually run with us on the app and also with a bunch of other people sweating right next to you. I can almost smell it now.
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Ayo Akinwolere
02:40
I don't know what to do with that imagery. It's like burned into my retinas and into my brain right now. But the format is very simple but it's also really unique, right? Instead of running a set distance, you run as far as you can until the catcher car catches up with you, basically. It's a virtual car on the app, but for the flagship races it's a real life car and it starts a bit after the runners so you better get a good head start because once you get caught by the car your race is over.
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Erin Azar
03:10
I'm so excited to race this way, though. I haven't done it before and I love the idea of the catcher car, but we have a while until May 8th so before I get too excited let's get into more of those reasons why people run in the first place.
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Ayo Akinwolere
03:26
Yeah man, we might as well get straight into this because this episode is about running to clear the mind. For me, running on a personal note is about giving mental strength and it's really benefited me over time to build mental strength and we're going to start with someone who I know you spoke to, Erin, fellow American Angel McNeal who is an unreal dancer. I was looking at her instagram the other day, she is sick, like she competes in battles all over the world and also on tv as well as being the 2017 Freestyler of the Year at the
World Of Dance
Awards
. Now, her style is something called popping and I know popping because my older brother used to do it when we were younger, he's a break dancer and used to love popping and I was just watching, thinking you're insane what you're doing with your body and it's super rhythmic and it's about tensing and relaxing your muscles to jerk and pop your body. And I know Erin, you're just warming up to do it for us now, right?Share
Erin Azar
04:26
Oh, actually, no, I won't. I mean have you tried it? It's really hard and yeah, I wouldn't describe myself as any kind of dancer, although I have been known to bust out some, you know, interpretive dance moves at the end of my long runs, you know, just to wrap it all up. But running is pretty important to Angel's life as well. So we did stick mostly to that.
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04:53
Hello Angel, welcome to the podcast, I'm so excited to talk to you. Can I have you introduce yourself, you'll do a lot better job than me.
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Angela McNeal
05:02
Actually, I don't know, I think you might do a better job than me. I'm not so good talking about myself, but my name is Angel, I'm an international dancer, I love everything health related: when it comes to food, when it comes to mental health.
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Erin Azar
05:17
Awesome. See, I was just gonna say, "This is Angel, she's the best dancer in the world". So you gave a little more detail than that. Do you think there's anything that connects running and dance?
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Angela McNeal
05:30
Yes, yes, I would definitely say rhythm. And people often say like I can't dance, but like if you can walk and if you can run, you definitely can dance because there's a rhythm in your your walking, nobody walks off beat. Like I don't care how much rhythm you think that you don't have, like there's a pattern in the way you walk. So I think that the same pattern, the same rhythm is applied to dance. You just instead of just using your feet or the focus being on your feet and your legs, the focus is on different parts of your body.
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Erin Azar
06:00
Wow, okay. I like that way of thinking. I never really thought about that because I would have been saying I cannot dance. I so your style of dancing, it's called popping, right? Okay, so I used to watch those shows, I forget whether it's like, So you think you can dance? or anything like that where they had all the different styles and from what I understand, you've done ballet and salsa and everything, but I always thought when they had the poppers on there and like the break dancing, I was always that would like hype me up so much. Like that's so cool. And then you get in front of the mirror and you're trying to like move your body, you're so precise in doing it. I'm like how the heck do you even do that?
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Angela McNeal
06:44
But it's interesting that you say that because, you know, I don't think we think about this in our adult years, but we weren't always able to walk, we weren't always able to run. Like it took time of us just standing up first. I feel like that same concept as applied to dance. Like sometimes we see things and we're just going after trying them, which is fine, but it can sometimes be discouraging when we don't look like other people. But I think that if we take that same concept of just standing up like we did when we were kids and just taking one step and falling, if we have to take that same concept with dance and being like, okay, I'm gonna try this first and then I'm gonna get good at just standing up first and the same concept goes with dance, like you can do it, you really can. Like, I know people are saying like you can do it and they like it sounds cliche but like I really do believe that if you kind of switch your mind and think about things differently then it'll be easier to apply.
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Erin Azar
07:39
Yeah, I think that's something important to remember is we sometimes we forget how long it can take to, you know, get good at something and also it has to be important to us, right? Like maybe learning that style of dance or any dance wasn't as important to me as I thought, well I was standing in front of my mirror, so maybe if it was, I would have worked harder at it.
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Ayo Akinwolere
08:03
I'm with you on that one, actually. Angel has a point. I remember when I was younger and I used to attempt to break dancing, it's probably more broke dancing than break dancing. And what I realized about that was that to be a really good break dancer, right, you need to put the hours and you need to practice so much more and I guess you could say the same about running, you can't just be a good runner or build up that stamina overnight. It has to be something you put effort to that definitely doesn't come straight away.
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Erin Azar
08:33
Oh totally. I mean when I look back to when I first started running, I wouldn't even recognize myself, like I have learned so much and I've changed so much that I do have to remember to give myself a break sometimes. Like, you know, it takes time to learn these things and to get better.
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08:51
So why do you run? What does it add to your life?
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Angela McNeal
08:56
I run because I feel like it's therapeutic. If I could put it in a visual form, like you know how you have things on the edge of who you are? I feel like every time my feet hit the ground, I feel like I'm releasing that stress and I'm releasing those thoughts, whether it be whatever it is, I feel like I'm able to release that.
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Erin Azar
09:13
Wow, that is a really good visual, I've never heard anyone say that before, I feel like I'm gonna use that on my next run. So it's like, like literally thinking on the outside edges of you when you're hitting the pavement, you're getting rid of that, wow, I love that. So, so what does running make you feel when you're, when you're in the moment, like when you start to run middle and and what are you feeling?
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Angela McNeal
09:38
I feel calm for sure. I feel like I'm an over thinker, so because I'm over thinker and I'm analytical, I feel like running allows me to process things and to have space to kind of understand things and to not think so much, because the scenery is changing around me. Being an over thinker, being analytical, you can think yourself into all kinds of craziness and you're like, how did I even get here? So I feel like running helps me keep my pace and not even just physically, but also in my mind, it helps me keep my pace in my mind.
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Erin Azar
10:10
Yes, I love that. It's very true. Do you feel like it's because there's less things coming at you when you're running, because you're alone and in your element?
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Angela McNeal
10:20
Less distractions, you don't have your phone, you know, you can't run and look at your phone, you don't have technology around your electronics. So I feel like the things are turned inwardly and I'm able to process like me, it's like you're stuck with your mind and you're processing those things, so it reads up all of those distractions and allows you to, to kind of handle what you can, and running with those problems allows you to slow down and handle those problems in a more like digestible way and think things through when I'm running. I feel like I do have time. Strange.
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Erin Azar
10:55
Yeah, I love that, though. So is that why you like to start your day with that run to just like start it off with a positive mindset? I mean you're already positive, but just to keep that moment of going?
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Angela McNeal
11:07
Yes, even if even if I'm able to just run for like 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes, like, yes, I feel like it slows again, it slows things down because I feel like from traveling from being at battles to meet and greets to like all these different things and having my own personal goals like it kind of like everything's like going, going, going when I'm running, I feel like I'm able to smell, I'm able to see, I'm able to taste the air, I'm able to feel like it just, it just kind of slows things down and it allows me to feel, because I feel like when I'm working so much like I don't feel because I have to do this and the next and the next and the next and the next. So it does a lot for me.
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Erin Azar
11:48
Yeah, sometimes if I have, you know, I'm like, okay, three mile run today, but you know, as the day goes, if I didn't get my run in, it's easy to be like, all right, well I'm just not running, but like you said, even 10 minutes, like that will completely clear my head.
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Ayo Akinwolere
12:06
I have to agree with her. You know, I think the modern city person like myself, you live such busy lives, you're always spinning plates and for me running just allows me to slow things down a little bit. No emailing, nothing, and it sort of pulls you in various directions really because we've got so many distractions in our day to day lives, it's nice to just have that little bit of clarity when you go on a run.
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Erin Azar
12:32
Yeah. And you know what, I never really articulated it before Angel talked me through this, but I went on a run since speaking to her and I was super aware of those things like the pace, my surroundings and I really felt like I could feel the stress leaving my body with each step which was such a great mindset to have and I'm so glad that she shared that visualization with me.
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Ayo Akinwolere
12:58
For sure and so much connects to the amazing Person I spoke to actually such an incredible human. Sandile Mkhize who is a fellow African, because I'm Nigerian, he's
South African
and he in 2013 had a pretty horrific motorcycle accident and it left him with severe spinal cord injuries. So, running for Sandile isn't the same way you and I would run, Erin, it's in a wheelchair and he was so fascinating to talk to about this and here's what he had to say.Share
13:29
This podcast is about running first and foremost. For you, what, why do you run? What does that movement mean to you?
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Sandile Mkhize
13:38
All right, well, just to give a bit of context to my answer as well. So I happen to be a T5 complete paraplegic. So, the last time I actively ran in the traditional sense was Around 2013 actually, because my accident happened on 26 January 2013, and what I remember specifically was that, you know, it allowed me not in a very shallow sense of freedom, but also allowed me just to be with myself and with my thoughts, I would say that it was a form of meditation, I guess. And if I look at how I sort of have tried to replicate the running feeling now as a paraplegic, the type of cardio that I do, it's a form of active meditation and it allows me, you know, just to clear my head and level myself before, you know, having to deal with whatever comes my way.
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Ayo Akinwolere
14:31
Over the last few years, that that idea of mentality and being able to connect both mind and body is something that has been an evolution for you. Can you tell me a little bit more about that and how that exercise helps you with that?
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Sandile Mkhize
14:44
So, I think especially after going through a particular type of trauma, I'm not sure if this is trauma in general, I can only speak for myself, is that there there becomes a disconnect between the mental and the physical, especially as somebody who suffers a spinal cord injury, and the importance of movement has not only I would say balanced me, but it has allowed me to expand and to rediscover, and what I mean by that is, you know, one day you're walking the next, you know, you can't move your legs and you can't feel from the chest down. However, you know, trying to for example, trying to replicate the, you know, the sensation one gets from running, you know more and more. You tend to surprise yourself as a spinal cord injury individual that you know, whatever you thought your limits were before, are not your limits. Regardless of how small, you know, the change or the growth comes, that growth only comes when you move, when you do. Those small and large victories, I guess it puts more cookies in the cookie jar when you have something new to face in life, you know, and like I've done this before or I know it's possible, so let me go.
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Ayo Akinwolere
15:53
I'm really fascinated by the thought about exercise, breaking the cycle. Do you think post accident, you've been forced to build those tools fundamentally?
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Sandile Mkhize
16:03
Yeah, for sure, basically, you know, when you're also in a wheelchair and you're, you know, you're trying to find the world again, so to speak, mental health and depression does get to you and sometimes, you know, you're always trying to find a way to get out of that cycle and exercise for me was the thing that was able to get me out of my own way, especially doing the things that I knew were not good for me. I mean, sometimes I use this example for everybody who knows, you know,
Austin Powers
and you know, his fat bastard character, you know, he says something quite profound and I don't know why this was profound at the time, but it stuck with me where he says I'm sad because I eat, and I eat because I'm sad and I feel like whether it's food or whether it's anything in life, like we all go through this cycle. And for me, I just found that exercise was the thing that cut my bad habits or that cut whatever I was doing that put me in a space I did not want to be. That's why this will always be a lifestyle now, it's not necessarily that I want something.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
17:02
I love that you quoted
Austin Powers
, something I thought I was never going to hear, but actually so powerful. It's so true.Share
Sandile Mkhize
17:09
I just think there comes a time or for me rather let me say, I realized I'm not a spring chicken anymore, you know, and this is why I will always be an evangelist for exercise and training, not necessarily to even look a certain way, it's literally just to get the blood going and to clear the mind, and I truly believe that if people have some form of exercise in their routine and they do the things that make them happy, I think everybody would be a little bit better off, you know?
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Erin Azar
17:40
I love that and I totally agree, I don't run to lose weight or you know, look a certain way, I definitely run because it helps me feel good, like especially the mental benefits and you know, obviously your body feels good afterward, too. But I think if I, if I was running to lose weight, I don't think I would keep going. I don't know, it's definitely tough, but it's super empowering, you know?
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Ayo Akinwolere
18:06
No, I hear you, I think everyone obviously runs for very different reasons. I started to run just because I wanted to stay active and yeah, I think there's a weight loss aspect to things just because I work on tv and you know, I'm always conscious of those things, but I think fundamentally it's like, it's about staying in a decent mental space and I think listening to Sandile's view of the world, like he makes it sound so simple, right? But he's gone from a lot in real talk, he's gone through a lot.
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Erin Azar
18:34
Absolutely. I mean his experience and perspective is definitely unique, but it does connect to what a lot of other people get from running and actually Angel, she didn't talk about breaking the cycle in those exact terms, but she did talk about how running gets her out of a rut and it also helps her stay positive.
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Angela McNeal
18:56
When I'm running and I'm seeing things, I feel like I become more grateful and I stopped thinking about what's going on, but start thinking about like even the simplest things like the birds are flying and just seeing beauty and it's free. I didn't have to pay to see the beauty. So I feel grateful and I start to think like my legs are working, my feet are working, my toes were running and they're like spreading in my shoes and like, you know, all of these things, I feel like I'm able to become more grateful and when I'm becoming more grateful, it allows me to remove myself from, from thinking about the negative things and getting myself out of that rut, because I'm thinking of more of the positive things and it's not, I don't know, explain, but it becomes natural because it's like how can you think of your negative situation and being a wreck and run at the same time, it's like you're seeing so much beauty, you're seeing like so much, you're seeing the sky, you're seeing nature you're you're seeing and appreciating it and feeling your senses whatever, negative rut that I was in, it can't be that bad.
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Erin Azar
20:03
Right, do you feel like running as a form of therapy is maybe it helps us connect our mind and our body? So like when we feel our emotions when we're running and we feel in my case a bit of a struggle and you know, some pain is that do you feel like that maybe connects ourselves, like so reminding us that our mind is connected to our body?
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Angela McNeal
20:30
So I do. I do think that also obviously, I think we should listen to our bodies if we have been in pain and we probably inside. Our bodies, like send us signals like, okay, I understand you're enjoying yourself, but I'm gonna need you to relax. But I do think that it is tied to each other. I can feel my body more.
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Erin Azar
20:52
Yeah, you're more aware.
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Angela McNeal
20:53
Yes. So because I'm more aware with running, I can feel my body and it's a healthy state. I know what it is, I know what it feels like to be when it's not healthy, I know what it feels like when it is healthy and I feel like that kind of goes in other areas of our lives as well, like when I'm processing things when I'm running, when something's off, I can now like put those things together, so I don't, I do feel like it it works physically mentally hand in hand, I feel like it helps in so many different ways.
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Erin Azar
21:24
For sure. Now, now pain and feeling uncomfortable, let's take a side you like, oh you better go to the doctor pain, but just that pain, like when you're running up a hill and your muscles are burning and you're like, oh, am I gonna make it up here or am I gonna walk in front of all these people or you know, I told myself I wouldn't walk and I feel like I have to, but pushing through that sometimes, I feel like for me is so empowering in terms of like, mental strength, do you feel like there's a connection there, it's almost like no pain, no gain, but in the mental aspect of things?
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Angela McNeal
22:04
Yes, absolutely, absolutely. I remember when I ran long distance, I don't remember how long it was, but before I ran it, I was like, I cannot do this, this is too much. And when I ran it I was like, I just did this, I wonder what else I can do that I said that I couldn't. It gave me confidence and then in other areas of my life, I'm like, I can do that, I can do that too. So I feel like having that confidence to know that you can do something literally sets you apart from your old version of yourself because we keep ourselves from so much because we're like, I can't do that, ah that hurts, but like, working through that pain gives us the confidence to work through other pains and bigger pains and it gives us the confidence to like, move through life, it just does so much.
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Erin Azar
22:50
Yeah, I I love that how you even compared it, like to your old self, your old self couldn't fathom running that distance that you ran, and your new self is like, heck yeah, I just did that and now look what I'm going to try, you know, then you have it's exciting because you don't know what your limit is, so why not, you know, keep pushing it?
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Ayo Akinwolere
23:14
Look, there's so much in there. This idea of an older version of yourself, for me is really fascinating because by running and going further, you're pushing boundaries, right? You're pushing boundaries beyond what you thought was possible, but you can only know that by going there and that is so inspiring, you know, to know your body, to know yourself, and also to trust yourself and what you're feeling.
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Erin Azar
23:36
Yeah, I really get that. And then also there's this sense of giving yourself permission, you know, to be confident, like to expand what you thought was possible, to see what else you can do.
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Ayo Akinwolere
23:47
Yeah, that really struck me because what also I found interesting about Sandile's experiences that he talks about pushing past what he thought his limitations were and how running an exercise gave him the tools to do that.
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Sandile Mkhize
24:06
I tend to have this mental trick, right? Where, if I'm terrified about doing something or I'm at that moment where it's time to jump in the water or jump out a plane next. I always tell myself, I'm like, I've already survived a spinal cord injury. Like, I know it's not the best thing to say to myself, but I'm like, I've already survived this, come on, just go. But I think that's the most important thing, right? It's always the willingness to try new things because I think in that unknown you learn about yourself and out of everything that happens, I think surprising myself is probably the nicest feeling of experience I experience consistently. You know, I thank the stars that I'm not the same person I was when my accident happened, because that person didn't have the tools to, you know, sort of navigate through life and have the audacity to do the things that he wants to do.
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Ayo Akinwolere
24:57
I was watching a really beautiful clip when you took part in your first
Wings for Life World Run
and it was just the elation on your face, right? Like even the smiling was insane, bro. It was like, it was so infectious and I almost I saw this moment which felt like a crescendo of an incredible journey that you've been on, surrounded by people with I guess a common goal. Can you explain to me what what that first one felt like for you?Share
Sandile Mkhize
25:26
Oh man, still pretty emotional, especially, we all have our ups and downs, right? And when I think of that particular race, I remember entering the race and feeling a little bit of sadness and a little bit of hopelessness, you know, because you don't know what life is like? Yes, I've been in a chair for a couple of years, but I still don't know what life can be like. And then out of nowhere, boom, like there's a lot more people that look like you, number one, and then number two, there's thousands of people around you that, you know, are sort of putting energy and resources, you know, you can talk a good game, but I think when people come together and they put their resources and especially if it's at the scale that the
Wings for Life World Run
is, you know, the world doesn't seem so scary and it doesn't feel like you're alone. And I think that shift in mindset or that shift in understanding rather allowed me to dream again, you know, to think of things differently compared to the, you know, self imposed box and limitations that I put myself on because I spent a lot of time alone and in rehab and in hospitals, you know, so that was like the changer for me.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
26:31
I'm also fascinated that you said, you know, that after your accident, your world became smaller, how has the
Wings for Life World Run
changed that for you then?Share
Sandile Mkhize
26:40
Well, there's a progression right at for the 2017 run where I was actually part of the local global journey for change where we cycled and ran for 24 hours from
Cape Town
to Johannesburg
, which is about 2200 kilometers, basically. I never would have thought I would be able to do something like this or even have the courage, you know, to put myself out there with strangers for 10 days. If you know, like I said that that shock factor of that first Wings for Life World Run
. I think it is, it's very easy for us to as individuals or in my experience rather to sort of retreat into comfort because comfort is comforting, right? You don't have to confront whatever issues you're going through, you don't have to confront your trauma, you don't have to do any of these things and I think once one makes the decision to continue and to fight and to give that effort, you then find ways and tools actively and also by accident.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
27:38
How important has that mental strength been for you and building that mental strength to the person you are today?
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Sandile Mkhize
27:44
I don't want to be hyperbolic about it, but it has honestly generally saved my life. Having the world to live and the world to explore. I think I lost that in the first few years of the accident because you know, you can't, you don't see the other side of the finish line, you also don't recognize and it's so funny that, you know,
Wings for Life
has this, but you also realize that, you know, life is always a moving finish line, right? And that is why like it's important for me, like if I was not exercising, if I was not training, my life would suffer for it and my life would be the worst of.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
28:21
It is, well, it is literally what it is, isn't it? It's quite interesting as metaphoric as it sounds that moving finish line is the
Wings for Life World Run
, isn't it?Share
Sandile Mkhize
28:33
I think it's always important for us as individuals to always have something, not necessarily that we're chasing, but something that is giving us direction, basically. When I think about the idea that life being a moving finish line, it's actually something I heard last year by the late
Kobe Bryant
where he was like, it's it's so easy to be fixated on the end result, instead of falling in love with the journey and think about this, like if you really fall in love with the journey and the finish line is continuously moving, you're consistently in the zone, you're not trying to get into a different zone, you're not trying to finally enjoy something though, you're always like in the zone, you're enjoying things and I mean it's also there's a bit of common sense like in my mind now where it's like I spend more time on the journey than the actual finish line. So why not just, you know, focus on that.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
29:29
You can't give that to other people around you as well. That sense of surprise to just push yourself beyond what you believe is your world. Is that why you keep coming back to do the run time and time again?
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Sandile Mkhize
29:39
Oh definitely. This is why, you know, the
Wings for Life
will always have my time, will always have my energy as well. Maybe this is an oversimplification, but I went through what I went through and it hurt and it hurts a lot. If there's anything I can do to make sure that the next kid doesn't have to go through this to learn the same lessons, then I'm gonna do that. And also it's just a cool race, like the concept is just cool, you know? So yeah, I'm gonna do it until I'm I'm an annoying old man, you know, it's one of those things.Share
Ayo Akinwolere
30:24
Would you be part of the team for the
Wings for Life World Run
this year, then?Share
Sandile Mkhize
30:28
You know, I think so, I think I'm gonna join you guys and if not why not, you know what I mean? And also I think that added pressure not to let you guys down will force me to push myself a little bit further this year so, definitely.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
30:42
This is great news to us. Yes, thank you so much for this conversation, so much to think about. But also I just really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. It's been really fascinating to have a conversation with you.
Share
Sandile Mkhize
30:56
Seriously man, thank you guys and thank you to the whole team and I'm looking forward to it, especially now since I'm a team member, so let's go!
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
31:03
Hey, love it, love it!
Share
Erin Azar
31:07
Yes, Ayo, another team member, awesome job! And what an awesome person to have on the team. I love that idea of life having a moving finish line. Life is literally the journey and so is running. It's like I'm seeing the world in such new ways hearing from all of our guests. It's so wild, like I take so much stuff from these interviews and just, you know, apply them to my life. It's so helpful.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
31:35
You know, it's one of those interviews where I could have literally spoken to him all day, like it's just like everything he was saying were like little droplets of wisdom and you know what, he is right that it's about the journey, it's about pushing past what you thought your limitations were and I guess that's what Angel said in many respects as well.
Share
Erin Azar
31:56
Exactly. And speaking of Angel, I also asked her about the
World Run
. So here's what she said.Share
32:05
So I have a very important question for you now that we're wrapping up. Would you consider taking part in the
Wings for Life World Run
on May 8th and joining our podcast team?Share
Angela McNeal
32:19
Yes, of course.
Share
32:20
One more superstar added to our team.
Share
32:27
You said May the 8th? Yes, yes, absolutely. I would love to, awesome.
Share
Erin Azar
32:32
Oh thank you so much, Angel! Oh, can I be a creeper and take a selfie with you? Okay, I'm gonna... hang on, let me get my cell phone set up here. I think if I try and... hang on, if I try and get myself turned around here. Oh boy. Okay, one, two, three. I think I got it. Thank you so much again for being here and it was so fun talking to you. I really appreciate you sharing everything with us.
Share
Angela McNeal
33:07
Thank you so much, since I've been on this zoom meeting, like I've been smiling.
Share
Erin Azar
33:18
So I just love talking to Angel. I mean, it's such a positive experience listening to her and Sandile as well. I love that connection between like running and, you know, mental clarity.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
33:30
Do you know what? It's so simple on the face of it. But I guess running is just doing so much for us under the surface and I think that's what I find really interesting about it.
Share
Erin Azar
33:39
Yeah, I mean there's so many reasons why people run when you think about it. I mean, we even have some different reasons among both of us. So it's almost like you don't even realize how many reasons there are until you, you know, point blank, ask someone why do you run? So I love that about this podcast and of course we'll be thinking about more reasons why people run each episode. They drop every Thursday, so make sure you subscribe or follow why I run on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and oh, you can also listen to previous episodes there too.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
34:14
Yeah, for sure. Now in case you didn't catch it last week's episode was about creativity and we spoke to the Australian triathlete,
Courtney Atkinson
as well as the poet Helen Mort
which I think made for some really interesting listening.Share
Erin Azar
34:28
Yeah, I learned a lot. And both Helen and Courtney have joined our team for the
Wings for Life World Run
. So if anyone listening has been inspired, please join us!Share
Ayo Akinwolere
34:38
Yeah, come and join us, and Erin might get you in a costume.
Share
Erin Azar
34:42
Yes.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
34:42
Come and join us because we're raising money and roping in as many of our guests as we can, but we'd love you guys to run as well. Get involved. What are you waiting for?
Share
34:51
Go check out the page at www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/whyirunteam and there's also a direct link in the episode description, so come on.
Share
Erin Azar
35:03
I'm so excited, it's May 8th, folks, mark your calendars, I'm training already for it so that catcher card doesn't catch me right away.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
35:13
Nice. Also, if you want to get in touch, you can comment in the feed section on the Why I Run podcast team page as well. That is it for the Why I Run podcast from
Red Bull,
for now only.Share
Erin Azar
35:25
Thanks for listening. All right, well, you know what, I'm going to get started on the vision board for Ayo costumes right now.
Share
Ayo Akinwolere
35:34
You will always bring it back to the costume, aren't you? All right, all right.
Share
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Erin Azar
Ayo Akinwolere
Sandile Mkhize
Angela McNeal