When Integrity Means Changing Course

Hey Team!

I just landed back home from one incredible week. I told you I was off to the NYC Marathon for an action-packed few days... and that turned out to be an understatement.

There were events morning to night—coffees, lunches, shakeouts, unsanctioned races—one big pulse of movement across the city. It was hectic and amazing all at once. Which leads me to this: I didn’t write my newsletter last week, and I’m completely okay with that.

This Week’s Shift

Here’s a lesson that’s taken time to learn: it’s important to maintain commitments, but that doesn’t mean we have to always follow through on them. Integrity is about being honest with your word, not rigid with it.

I’ve always held myself to a standard that these newsletters would be written by me—no AI, no ghostwriting—just real thoughts in real time. That was my commitment. But commitments live inside a bigger picture. Life shifts, energy moves, and sometimes the most integral thing you can do is adjust.

NYC Marathon week was far busier than I expected. As Monday and Tuesday crept up, I asked myself: Is locking myself in a hotel room for an hour the best use of my time right now? The answer was clear. Instead of forcing something for the sake of consistency, I chose to live the week fully—to show up for the people, the moments, and the city itself.

That’s the point: we can honor our commitments and still change direction. The key is being transparent about it, even if the only person you’re accountable to is yourself. No shame, no guilt. Just awareness and adjustment. Sometimes integrity looks like following through. Other times, it looks like letting go.

Because of that choice, I hit the streets of New York and connected with incredible people—and one of those moments turned out to be the highlight of the entire week.

From The Field

This year’s NYC Marathon saw a record-breaking 59,226 runners take on the 26.2 miles. The weather was perfect, the energy electric. I watched from mile 9 with Adidas Runners and Girls Run NYC—prime viewing to catch the elites flying by, each stride faster than most treadmills can even handle.

But the moment that stopped me wasn’t about speed. It was about heart.

A few months ago, I met Stanley through a mutual friend. He lost his leg years back, and what struck me most wasn’t the loss—it was how he reframed it. “I’m not disabled,” he said, “I’m enabled.” His mindset was pure resilience, a full re-write of what it means to move through adversity.

We’ve stayed in touch since, trading notes on training and recovery. On Sunday, I got to see him out there—running his first marathon. When he spotted me at mile 9, he came straight over and gave me a huge hug. It was one of those raw, unscripted moments that said everything without words. He went on to finish all 26.2 miles, and anyone that knows Stanley knew they were witnessing something special.

I heard it over and over again that day: “This is the best day of the year in New York.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s a reminder that the sport isn’t just about running... it’s about the connection, the humanity, and the stories that line every single mile.

Keep showing up, even if it looks different than planned. That’s still progress.

Catch you on the Start Line,
—Matty