'Excited' Joey Graziadei Admits Fiancée Kelsey Anderson Has Been His 'Support System' Ahead of the New York City Marathon

Joey Graziadei is excited to take on the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 2, especially because he knows his fiancée, Kelsey Anderson, will be cheering him on the whole time.

"She's here [in NYC] with me all week. It will be good. It'll be nice to have her be my support system. She's been great. She's been my confidence factor. She makes me feel like, with whatever happens, just be proud of what you've been trying to do and have fun and enjoy it!" the Bachelor star, 30, exclusively tells OK! while dishing about New York Road Runners (NYRR), the preeminent nonprofit that produces 60 adult and youth races each year, including the upcoming TCS New York City Marathon.

The pair, who met and got engaged on the star's season of The Bachelor in 2024, have been going strong since — and Anderson, 27, has even joined in on her man's fitness journey from time to time. "She's an avid run-walker. She'll run for a mile and then walk and then run for a mile and walk. I like when I start running and then commit to that distance. We always struggled when we run together because she always wants to stop," he quips. "I like doing it sometimes, but she always laughs. She's like, 'We can't run together.' She likes giving all her energy and then taking a break, wheras I am like, 'OK, I am going to run.'"

"She's like, 'Go enjoy your run,' which makes me feel better, too," he adds.

After wrapping up Season 28 of The Bachelor, which aired in January 2024, Graziadei started his "30 before 30" bucket list, which he completed before his 30th birthday this past May.

While a marathon was not something he had on his radar, he's excited to take the plunge.

"I didn't put a marathon on the list because I thought it was a crazy thing to do!" he exclaims. "I had a half-marathon on the bucket list, and that was the first time I ran more than eight miles. I did that on my own because I couldn't schedule it to a race, so this is my first ever race I've done with a bib, and I am so stoked!"

When Michelob ULTRA reached out to Graziadei about the marathon after seeing him train for the half, he initially turned it down, but after thinking about it more, he was game. "I was like, 'How many times do you get the opportunity to do something like this in New York?' This is not only my first race, but my first marathon — and just to do the race in general!" he shares. "That was earlier this year, so I had a lot of time to train."

"This was something I wanted to do someday, but I never thought I would actually do it because it's a lot of training, but I'm happy I put in the time, and I am excited," he continues. "I'm most excited for the energy of the race, and I've heard from everyone how special this day is. I've heard it's the best day in NYC."

Though the ABC alum is nervous, he knows it's going to be a moment he won't forget. "I'm excited to experience it," he says. "I feel like I did a lot of what I needed to do to get ready for it, but I also don't know if I am prepared because it's one of those things you haven't done. It's going to be interesting because it's uncharted territory for me. The longest I've run is 20 miles, but if they say if you can do 20, you can run a marathon, so I am going to tust that is the case! I feel as ready as I can be."

Graziadei is running alongside one of his buddies, which will help him excel. "We'll be together the whole day, and I have some other friends running it," he dishes. "We're doing it with New York Road Runners, and our goal is to get on the bus together and have the best time and take it all in! I just want to enjoy it and have fun. I've been blown away by New York Road Runners — and the whole setup! I got in this week, and I can already tell how much energy is put into this. I know it's one of the biggest races they put on every year. It's really special because they have so many volunteers and people who make this a special experience for everyone. New York Road Runners has been so kind and welcoming, and it's going to be a great experience. I am excited for Sunday!"

"It'll hurt, but it will be fun," he jokes.