Ahead of me running my 20th marathon in Manchester, England, I wanted to take a moment to do the ultimate race rewind. Rewinding 19 marathons reminded me that every finish line carried more than just miles, it carried lessons. Patience, grit, joy, resilience, and the reminder that growth lives where things get uncomfortable. My story isn’t about stacking medals, it’s about what running keeps teaching me, and what I get to share with the athletes and community who choose to lace up alongside me. The finish line is neverstopping, it’s the start of the next chapter. Come with me on a journey era, by era, to experience the vibe, the lesson learned, the tracks played, and the time on that big ole clock at the end of each of my marathons so far.
𝐄𝐫𝐚 𝟏, Marathons #1-3. The Just Run Era.
Powered by blind optimism, a high pain tolerance and purpose with Team In Training (benefitting the Leukemia Lymphoma Society). Minimal knowledge, all heart.
𝟏. 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗
Vibe: So hot (95!) and hilly, I questioned my sanity but not my resolve. TNT NYC finished 100% while 5k racers dropped out.
Lesson: How freaking long 26.2 miles really is, and wear sunscreen and friends who cheer deserve medals (applies to all 19 races)
On repeat: My own panting + The Climb, Miley
Time: 5:32
𝟐. 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎
Vibe: Rainy course + undiagnosed stress (and almost full) fracture = unplanned hydrotherapy?!
Lesson: Listen to your body—yes, even when it begs you to keep going. We travelled to Seattle. SF and Napa post race 🫠 …before crutches for a month. Also, the race gun won’t wait for you on the bathroom line. We started 5+ min late 🤭
On repeat: Like a G6, Far East Movement
Time: 4:36
𝟑. New York City Marathon 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟏
Vibe: Home turf hustle (and hustling/running into the corrals, literally, after the TNT bus got lost in SI and stuck in traffic for an hour, Meg and I may be trauma bonde; what start village hours wait?).
Lesson: Don’t let the crowd carry you away too early—mile 20 feels like mile 99 when you shoot out of the Queensborough Bridge like a banshee.
On repeat: On the Floor, J.Lo & Pitbull
Time: 4:03
𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝟮, Marathons #4-7: The Focus Era.
This was the season of starting to dial in, when discipline outshouted doubt and every mile had a mission. Not flashy. Not always joyful. But sharp. Focused. I wasn’t just running. I was becoming an athlete. + another 4×26.2’s for a purpose with Team in Training.
𝟰. 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟮
Vibe: Sub-4 or bust—and I busted through. Fueled by deep friendship, mid-race pizza dreams, and a delusional amount of belief for a rookie.
Lesson: You’re never too slow to chase down goals. A few years back, I thought sub-4 was just for the “fast kids”. Turns out, I was one.
On repeat: Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jensen
Time: 3:52 (90 min faster than marathon 1)
𝟱. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 (𝗠𝗖𝗠) 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟯
Vibe: Crisp, clean, and feeling “in the pocket.” Legs said yes and mind said go.
Lesson: Tune it all out. Lock in. Find your rhythm—and ride it.
On repeat: Thrift Shop, Macklemore
Time: 3:46
6. 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟒
Vibe: A city known for its ghostly past, and one of those ghosts was fast as hell
and decided to pace me. Thanks for the PR, Casper!
Lesson: Sometimes fast comes from fury. Channel the chaos. Rage can move you—if you aim it right.
On repeat: Focus, Ariana Grande
Time: 3:41
𝟕. 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟓
Vibe: Hit the wall at mile 16. Body-slammed by a spectator at 20. Ran the last 6 because of that bro on a (stress reaction) fractured leg I didn’t know I had. Still finished. Still pulled a teammate to the line.
Lesson: Not every race is for the clock. Adjust from time to a feeling. Rising broken still counts.
On repeat: My friend Todd on pacing duties, cheering, coaching, and carrying me through mile 16.
Time: 3:54
Era 3, Marathon #8-10: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐄𝐫𝐚
At my first marathon, I didn’t even know what Boston was. Fast forward a few years and I dared consider the “what if?” of it all. 3 x 26.2 with Gotham City Runners, where I found my competitive edge.
𝟖. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔
Vibe: The start boomed with a cannon, fall leaves blazed like a victory lap, and the race director knew my name. Small town sizzle.
Lesson: Believe in yourself, believe in marathon magic – a pacer in a pink tutu and wand (the famous Keith Straw) made the BQ real
On Repeat: Fight Song, Rachel Patten.
Time: 3:36, my BQ 🦄 (by 3+ min). And yet… rejected by a few seconds…. success and heartbreak in one.
𝟗. 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕
Vibe: “America’s most beautiful urban race” started with sunrise gold that gave way to storm clouds. We ran lake to lake, hill to hill to hill to hill, laughing as the clouds followed us from Minneapolis to St. Paul.
Lesson: When Boston answers “not yet,” you lace up and conquer the next storm.
On Repeat: Castle on the Hill, Ed Sheeran, a soundtrack for climbing back up when life knocks you sideways (and in the ribs, spasms for a week due to electrolyte imbalance)
Time: 3:40. A speed bump on a course that refused to let me glide, but reminded me to dance in the rain
𝟏𝟎. 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖
Vibe: 4:30 AM pre race camp fire flickering. Cacti standing guard at the dark finish. Running past a gun range shining in the sunrise. Only in Arizona.
Lesson Learned: Develop your mental strength and sharpen it regularly. This era marked when I started memorizing mile by mile mantras. That final 10K with my “Running Buddy” RB Carolyn demanded every ounce of fight I’d stockpiled all winter —and then some.
On Repeat: This Is Me, Greatest Showman.
Time: 3:33 BQ, by ~7 min = we are IN for Boston. Limits belong on someone else’s story. Dream scary goals. Chase that BQ. If I can make Boston my own, so can you
.
Era 4, Marathons #11-13: T𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐄𝐫𝐚
I had my second BQ, and Boston was calling me. But the ocean had other plans. A freak surfing accident—low tide, high drama—slammed me into the sand and snapped seven bones. Ligaments? Torn. Dreams? Delayed. The PTSD? Continues.
But I rose up. Limped into 2019 with a titanium will, retrained my body to walk and then run in 3 months. And in picturing the comeback I thought – Why jump back at one marathon a year when I could do three?
𝟏𝟏. 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
Vibe: I MADE it. The race was secondary to the weekend. Knowing I was there with the best of the best.
Lesson: It won’t always look the way you imagined. It was hot. It was humid. I was sick. And coming off recovery, I knew the wheels would fall off. They did—but so did the pressure. Friends jumped in, time went out the window, and gratitude took the wheel.
On Repeat: Me!, Taylor Swift
Time: 4:17 Not my fastest, not my finest—but absolutely unforgettable
𝟏𝟐. 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 (2 wks later)
Vibe: Ocean waves crashing into jagged cliffs. Baby grand piano on Bixby Bridge. Drum circles up the mountain climb. Magic everywhere. I LOVE this course even though it’s my hardest to date.
Lesson: It’s okay to have fun at a marathon. I had no time goal, just a heart full of awe and legs ready to dance up the hills.
On repeat: Dancing with a Stranger, Sam Smith
Time: 3:51 The biggest hills I’ve ever raced, but it felt like floating. The joy marathon.
𝟏𝟑. 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
Vibe: Off to Europe for a three-city adventure with friends. Lucky me. A wild, fun trip topped off with one of the world’s fastest, flattest courses.
Lesson: When life hits you, get up and do your best—even if you need to adapt the plan. Got an eye infection and barely slept, but one working eye was enough to see that finish line.
On repeat: Power, Little Mix
Time: 3:36 Not perfect conditions, but I showed up with power, pace, and perspective.
Era 5, Marathons #14-16: T𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗘𝗿𝗮
Three marathons in 2019? Genius. Because what followed was a finish line drought we never saw coming. I was signed up for Eugene 2020—and waited. And waited. And waited. The race was canceled twice. They mailed me the bib anyway. I kept it where I’d see it often— a postcard from the future I refused to give up on.
𝟭𝟰. 𝗘𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮
Vibe: Tracktown USA, baby. Running in the footsteps of Olympic giants and the echoes of Prefontaine in every stride. It felt… right.
Lesson: Good things take time. I’d waited years for this and showed up ready to fly. Crushed a 7-minute PR and got a high five from Shalane Flanagan. My friend was waiting on the track. My people were tracking back home. I wasn’t letting go of my first sub-3:30.
On repeat: About Damn Time, Lizzo
Time: 3:26 🦄
𝟭𝟱. 𝗧𝗼𝗸𝘆𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
Vibe: First time in Asia. Temples. Neon. A river of runners and my friends cheering loudly. I soaked it in—the race was the backdrop, the city was the show.
Lesson: When things click, don’t question it. The priority was the trip more than a time race and I planned to party but everything ticked. Legs. Weather. Mindset. Felt like a bow on resilience.
On Repeat: Anti-Hero, Taylor
Time: 3:37 🦄
16. Boston Marathon 2024
Vibe: Here we go again—literally. Six weeks after Tokyo, I was back on Boylston. Boston weekend magic never fades… but the forecast? Rough.
Lesson: My body hates high humidity, hard stop. What started as a race became a survival shuffle. I ran-walked out of necessity, not strategy. Red flags mean stop. At the end of the day, it’s just a marathon.
On repeat: No music, just me, texting friends, calling in every bit of support to get across the line.
Time : 3:57. Not every finish line is a fairytale. But that one makes me emo no matter the clock.
Era 6, Marathons #17-19: The (𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢) 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗿𝗮
What was supposed to be one race for spring season became three. Sometimes it’s worth going the 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 mile.
𝟭𝟳. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
Vibe: Small Southern town charm with big race energy and serious organization game.
I arrived with a plan—focused, ready. The sun shined down strongly, too strongly and somewhere near the halfway point, I knew: Today was about staying in tune with what the day asked of me. I kept running realizing this wouldn’t be the only race this spring.
Lesson: You don’t always need to go all out to go all in.
On Repeat: Stargazing – Miles Smith
Time: 3:32 🦄
𝟭𝟴. 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
Vibe: A course only a local could love… and even then, only maybe. Industrial edges, uneven pavement, and a double loop. This course tested me, but I got by with a little (a lot of) help from my friends on the sidelines 📣 and one on the course 🙌 Step by step, turning a tough day into something solid.
Lesson: Not every run is romantic. But finishing something hard—especially with someone by your side—can still feel like a win.
On Repeat: yes, and? – Ariana Grande
Time: 3:29 🦄
𝟭𝟵. 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
Vibe: Tromsø, at the edge of the world in the never-setting glow of the summer solstice. The light stretched forever, painting the sky and mountains with a surreal hue. I ran without looking at the watch, to feel alive (esp on the many many hills), to end this 2024 marathon trio with awe instead of exhaustion. I smiled. I slowed down. I took selfies. I jumped into the Arctic the next morning. This was the celebration lap.
Lesson: Sometimes, it’s good to take the blinders off. I usually run with my head down, but that day, I looked around nonstop, soaked in the beauty, and was fully present in the moment.
On Repeat: Beautiful Things – Benson Boone
Time: 3:48
COACH NOA 