CelebHomes: Tell me about the importance of running for your mental health and the other aspects of running that are beneficial as a part of your regular routine beyond the physical.
ZC: I was raised as an athlete. I have played 3 sports throughout my life and been very competitive all of it. It was all about winning for me. This is exactly what it was. It was necessary to win everything that I tried. The story of my 27-year old self is that I went to rehab in order to become sober. Once I was clean, I began exploring healthy lifestyles. I have found running to be an incredible tool. There are many benefits to running, such as better health, better sleep, better posture, better mood, etc. But for me it is my best friend when things get tough. This is a great time to let go of your phone and focus on yourself.
CelebHomes – Tell me all about your partnership with Reebok
ZC: It’s a “pinch me” kind of deal because of Reebok’s history and heritage. Reebok to me, being a Philly-based guy, is the next level due to its rich history. Allen Iverson. The most important thing to emphasize is that they are aligned with me in my beliefs. They have this generous spirit that they looked at the marathon team and asked “What can I do?” They’ve also donated a pair Floatride Energy 3’s every marathoner. This is a tremendous gesture. These guys know how to do it.
It’s amazing to see how they are able to help everyday runners like me and encourage them to move and to focus on their health and well-being. From, the second we started kind of talking, I could tell that they were just really motivated to do more for the world and that’s really important to me. Their team and I could not be happier to work with them.
The London Marathon was October. It was the first time I ran in Reebok. Heading into The New York Marathon, I’m super pumped to be rocking them again with my teammates.
They really care about everyday runners, which is something I appreciate. And so if you look at our team of 60 runners running for the Release Recovery Foundation, no one’s going out to win this thing. It starts with one step, and that turned into two steps. Then you can see the possibilities. And so the story behind running is also something that I’m so, so passionate about because I love humans, so each person on our team, and myself included, we have these stories.
CelebHomes: What are you most impressed by about Reebok’s products and brand?
ZC: This is my eighth marathon. I have tried all brands of shoes. It’s a joke within the running community that once you find your shoe you’ll never let go of it and I believe that especially after the experience I had with Reebok when I ran London. They’ve been my training shoes and they are great for everyday runners. They are the ideal combination of comfort and performance.