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When I look back at these two marathons, only eight months apart, I see more than a before-and-after photo. I see the shift every adult athlete eventually reaches when they stop trying to out-grit their training and start learning how to train on purpose.
On the left, I was doing what a lot of runners do.
I coached myself.
I pieced things together based on instinct and whatever advice filtered through my feeds.
I pushed when I felt good, backed off when I didn’t, and hoped the pieces would land in the right order.
It wasn’t bad. I was motivated. I loved running. I showed up. But there was always that underlying feeling of guessing. Was I doing enough? Too much? Too fast? Too slow? Was I recovering well or just surviving the week?
On the right is me after two training cycles with a coach — someone who gave structure to the chaos, matched my training to my physiology, and removed the pressure to make every decision alone. The difference wasn’t that I suddenly worked “harder.” It was that my work finally had direction.
And that’s where things started to click.
My miles actually supported my goals instead of fighting them.
My workouts built on each other instead of pulling me in different directions.
My recovery finally had room to exist.
And the confidence that showed up on race day wasn’t manufactured — it was earned, layer by layer, through consistency.
The result?
Huge PRs in both my half and my full.
Not because I was grinding myself into the ground… but because I wasn’t anymore.
That’s the part I wish more Masters and menopausal athletes understood. You don’t have to train harder to keep improving. You have to train smarter. You have to give your body the structure it needs, the recovery it deserves, and the consistency it thrives on.
Your potential doesn’t disappear with age or hormones.
It just requires a different approach — one that respects the body you’re running in today.
If your training feels like guesswork or you’re showing up but not seeing the progress you expected, that’s not a personal shortcoming. It’s a sign your plan needs a tweak, not your ambition.
If this story hits home, there are a few places you can take your next step — all designed to help you train smarter, stay consistent, and keep leveling up as a Masters or menopausal athlete.
Project: Breakthrough
If you want structure without the guesswork, this plan helps you build fitness in a way that’s progressive, intentional, and actually repeatable for real-life athletes.
Built to Go the Distance
Your strength foundation matters more in this season than ever. This guide gives you the durability and power that make faster training possible.
Micro-Form Mastery
Running feels easier and more efficient when your mechanics support you. These small form adjustments pay off on every run.
Coaching Options
If your training feels scattered or you’re tired of guessing what your next step should be, this is where we remove the noise and build something that fits your physiology and your reality.
Your future self will thank you for choosing smarter, not harder. And Google will love that you’re giving readers clear pathways forward.