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6th star at the London Marathon (& alittle PR)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
3:09:21; 7:13/ pace; ~90 second PR
A lesson in trusting yourself.

To PR was not the plan. An easy fun run and collecting my 6th star before turning 40 in July was the plan (86 days to spare!). But turns out the easy fun run was going to also be a PR. I had SO much left in the tank and actually phoned it in the last 5k. I wasn’t tapered, I didn’t do an all-out carb load, I had 20k+ steps the Saturday before the race, it was 70 degrees and sunny at the start. But I had no pressure. No goal.I ran completely on effort. I trusted myself that I was keeping it easy ish - In fact I got a little stressed I was going too fast at times even though I felt fantastic.

The first 5 miles of this race are basically down hill. It was very hard to slow it down so I allowed myself to go with the flow. I smiled. I cried. I didn’t really pay attention to my watch (except a few times when I saw my pace slip into the sub 7s and pulled it back). I took videos and pictures. I truly ran this at a relaxed pace (okay we will call it sub-moderate) I never really hurt. I never had to force anything to keep the pace. I had a cute little negative split (see second slide). I told myself if it starts to get hard I have permission to pull back. Truly it just never got to that place. All I could think is omg @runcoachu is going to be so mad at me 😅😂. This was the most fun I’ve ever had running a marathon. London you’re so very epic.

But the bigger pr here is that mentally I stayed in it. All of last year I was blocked. I was trying to force the success of 2023 and kept falling way short. I couldn’t get out of my head. I would see a pace in my watch and freak out; convinced I couldn’t hold it. I had some health things going on that I finally figured out which helps too(more on that in a separate post).

But. We are so back. Fired up and hungry for more.

I’m so excited for what’s to come. Focusing on some shorter races this summer (5k & Masters Category of the Brooklyn Mile!…:and a little FAFO at the bk half in 3 weeks) and then will build for NYC.

Thanks to 📸: @quentinmui.photos for the shot 🫶🏼🫶🏼

6th star at the London Marathon (& alittle PR)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
3:09:21; 7:13/ pace; ~90 second PR
A lesson in trusting yourself.

To PR was not the plan. An easy fun run and collecting my 6th star before turning 40 in July was the plan (86 days to spare!). But turns out the easy fun run was going to also be a PR. I had SO much left in the tank and actually phoned it in the last 5k. I wasn’t tapered, I didn’t do an all-out carb load, I had 20k+ steps the Saturday before the race, it was 70 degrees and sunny at the start. But I had no pressure. No goal.I ran completely on effort. I trusted myself that I was keeping it easy ish - In fact I got a little stressed I was going too fast at times even though I felt fantastic.

The first 5 miles of this race are basically down hill. It was very hard to slow it down so I allowed myself to go with the flow. I smiled. I cried. I didn’t really pay attention to my watch (except a few times when I saw my pace slip into the sub 7s and pulled it back). I took videos and pictures. I truly ran this at a relaxed pace (okay we will call it sub-moderate) I never really hurt. I never had to force anything to keep the pace. I had a cute little negative split (see second slide). I told myself if it starts to get hard I have permission to pull back. Truly it just never got to that place. All I could think is omg @runcoachu is going to be so mad at me 😅😂. This was the most fun I’ve ever had running a marathon. London you’re so very epic.

But the bigger pr here is that mentally I stayed in it. All of last year I was blocked. I was trying to force the success of 2023 and kept falling way short. I couldn’t get out of my head. I would see a pace in my watch and freak out; convinced I couldn’t hold it. I had some health things going on that I finally figured out which helps too(more on that in a separate post).

But. We are so back. Fired up and hungry for more.

I’m so excited for what’s to come. Focusing on some shorter races this summer (5k & Masters Category of the Brooklyn Mile!…:and a little FAFO at the bk half in 3 weeks) and then will build for NYC.

Thanks to 📸: @quentinmui.photos for the shot 🫶🏼🫶🏼

If you had told 15-year-old Linda that she would one day be a strength, running, and nutrition coach....she probably would have cried (out of fear not excitement).

It took a long, winding road to get here - full of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, thoughts of not being strong enough, fast enough, young enough, smart enough. Finally, I realized I was the only one standing in my way.

My fitness journey started later in my life. I grew up an awkward, very unathletic, overweight kid (peep the last photo of me at 15! Feeling vulnerable sharing this). I started working out to lose weight and be “skinny,” spending hours doing only cardio. In 2015, I started incorporating light weights into my gym routine via BBG pdfs (iykyk), followed by years of attending every strength class Equinox offered. For the first time, I was excited about getting stronger, but everything I was doing was random, so results were minimal. In 2020, @lauren_kanski entered the chat, and through her initial total wellness training program (also iykyk), now called Body and Bell,I found a focused strength program. I started to understand the importance of progressive overload. I learned SO much from her. I continued to educate myself through nutrition certifications, run coach certifications, @sciaccia @bell_mechanics kettlebell certification (where I also learned SO SO much). I was still scared of the CPT exam. In May of this year, a few months after I was laid off from my 9-5, I finally fully committed to myself and my next certification. The one I had wanted for years (three started attempts over 6+ years!) but was terrified to fail.

At 38 years old, I did something new. I am starting something new. Not only am I not too old... I am the strongest, fastest, and most confident I have ever been. I still have a ton to learn (and strength and speed to attain), but I’m moving forward and not holding myself back.

If you had told 15-year-old Linda that she would one day be a strength, running, and nutrition coach....she probably would have cried (out of fear not excitement).

It took a long, winding road to get here - full of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, thoughts of not being strong enough, fast enough, young enough, smart enough. Finally, I realized I was the only one standing in my way.

My fitness journey started later in my life. I grew up an awkward, very unathletic, overweight kid (peep the last photo of me at 15! Feeling vulnerable sharing this). I started working out to lose weight and be “skinny,” spending hours doing only cardio. In 2015, I started incorporating light weights into my gym routine via BBG pdfs (iykyk), followed by years of attending every strength class Equinox offered. For the first time, I was excited about getting stronger, but everything I was doing was random, so results were minimal. In 2020, @lauren_kanski entered the chat, and through her initial total wellness training program (also iykyk), now called Body and Bell,I found a focused strength program. I started to understand the importance of progressive overload. I learned SO much from her. I continued to educate myself through nutrition certifications, run coach certifications, @sciaccia @bell_mechanics kettlebell certification (where I also learned SO SO much). I was still scared of the CPT exam. In May of this year, a few months after I was laid off from my 9-5, I finally fully committed to myself and my next certification. The one I had wanted for years (three started attempts over 6+ years!) but was terrified to fail.

At 38 years old, I did something new. I am starting something new. Not only am I not too old... I am the strongest, fastest, and most confident I have ever been. I still have a ton to learn (and strength and speed to attain), but I’m moving forward and not holding myself back.

If you had told 15-year-old Linda that she would one day be a strength, running, and nutrition coach....she probably would have cried (out of fear not excitement).

It took a long, winding road to get here - full of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, thoughts of not being strong enough, fast enough, young enough, smart enough. Finally, I realized I was the only one standing in my way.

My fitness journey started later in my life. I grew up an awkward, very unathletic, overweight kid (peep the last photo of me at 15! Feeling vulnerable sharing this). I started working out to lose weight and be “skinny,” spending hours doing only cardio. In 2015, I started incorporating light weights into my gym routine via BBG pdfs (iykyk), followed by years of attending every strength class Equinox offered. For the first time, I was excited about getting stronger, but everything I was doing was random, so results were minimal. In 2020, @lauren_kanski entered the chat, and through her initial total wellness training program (also iykyk), now called Body and Bell,I found a focused strength program. I started to understand the importance of progressive overload. I learned SO much from her. I continued to educate myself through nutrition certifications, run coach certifications, @sciaccia @bell_mechanics kettlebell certification (where I also learned SO SO much). I was still scared of the CPT exam. In May of this year, a few months after I was laid off from my 9-5, I finally fully committed to myself and my next certification. The one I had wanted for years (three started attempts over 6+ years!) but was terrified to fail.

At 38 years old, I did something new. I am starting something new. Not only am I not too old... I am the strongest, fastest, and most confident I have ever been. I still have a ton to learn (and strength and speed to attain), but I’m moving forward and not holding myself back.

Less than 15 weeks to Sydney Marathon and just outside my next 26.2 build.

It’s been nice to take a 7 month break from a marathon build but I am ready to get back to work.

A few weeks of some just-for-fun shorter races (don’t get it twisted we still trying to rip) and then we start the 12-week build during the three hottest months of the year. I CANNOT WAIT - BRING ON SUMMER BABY!

📸: @nedtrim

Brooklyn Half in 1:28:10. A little short of the goal but had a lot of fun and looked cute doing it 💕Fastest half since September’23. As always hungry for more.

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

Q1 2026
Started the year in the ER
Celebrated our 8th anniversary in Vegas
BSB at the Sphere changed my life
Saw lots of friends
Saw lots of snow
Road tripped with the dog to Georgia
Found some lemonade among the lemons🍋

I’m terrified of failing. I’m scared to let people down. Nervous I will be judged and talked about if I don’t preform.

These feelings weigh on me so much that I self-sabotage and talk myself into not even trying. I give up before the gun goes off.

I texted my coach yesterday expressing my lack of excitement for my race on Saturday. A half marathon that is the early spring goal race. The thing we’ve been training for - and I just couldn’t muster up an ounce of excitement to go test my fitness to celebrate all the work I’ve put in over the last 10 (very brutal) weeks.

He asked me why I wasn’t excited- my training has gone well despite the NYC winter; he thinks I’m fit - so why do I feel this way? My response? I’m not sure….

Spoiler: apathy protects you from fears of failure

I spent a lot of time reflecting on why I was feeling this way and it came down to one thing. Fear of failing (again). But instead of anxiety or nerves my brain was protecting me from this fear with apathy. If I don’t care it won’t matter if I fail. If I don’t care will it even be failure?

I’m intimidated by this race. A 3 miles looped course is new to me - though I’ve ran and raced at Rockland Lake countless times (fun fact my first sub 7 paced race was a 5 mile race at Rockland Lake). A large majority or the NY running scene will be there. The slowest runners will be around the 90 minute mark (fast!).

But I’m just as prepared as anyone. I’ve done the work. I am ready. It will be hard and it will probably hurt - but it can be those things and also be fun. A new challenge. A game.

I love this. All of it. There is joy in toeing the line, in putting my body through the wringer to see what it can do.

I’ve switched my brain from fear to curiosity and excitement. Excited to try - even excited to possibly fail.

See y’all Saturday 🫡

Everything I wore to stay warm during my 14 mile run in subzero °f real feel conditions.

Bra, tights, both tops, bottom layer gloves, hat and ear cover are all @banditrunning’a current line (jacket is a few years old but also Bandit)
Socks are REI hiking socks (also old)
Sunglasses @bonzerathletics
#ihatethecold #coldrunning #cold

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Q4 ‘25 - wrapped up in a beautiful 🎀

Merry Christmas from the LoRes! It wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t drive my family crazy making them take matching pj photos

Merry Christmas from the LoRes! It wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t drive my family crazy making them take matching pj photos

Merry Christmas from the LoRes! It wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t drive my family crazy making them take matching pj photos

My dog would definitely pick this life over your dog’s big house.

Happy Thanksgiving from the LoRes and our very awkward family photos

Happy Thanksgiving from the LoRes and our very awkward family photos

Happy Thanksgiving from the LoRes and our very awkward family photos

Things I changed in my NYCM training cycle:

😴 I took an entire week off running (I did still lift) before starting the new block. At first I was not happy about doing this but it helped me both mentally and physically enter the 12-week cycle fresh and ready

🏃🏻‍♀️ Because I already had a base of 50-60 miles (something I’ve built up over years), I opted for a 12-week training cycle. I never got to a place of burnout or boredom. Honestly was a little sad it was so short….I wanted more!

🧠 I worked on my mental game probably more than physical. I read two books at the start of my build that helped me reframe my mindset @stevemagness’s “Win the Inside Game” and “Do Hard Thing” (HIGHLY rec both) I practiced the tactics I learned in each workout. I could write an entire substack on what I did and how this helped….maybe I will.

🏋🏻‍♀️ I stopped needing to PR every lift in the gym and went down to the recommended 2 lifts a week (I had crept back up to 4-5 lifts a week from NYCM ‘24 to August ‘25). This did mean deprioritizing other goals, like pull ups, and exiting my need-to-pr-my-deadlift era but it gave my body a break so I could execute my running workouts each week.

💆🏻‍♀️ Except for my peak week, I took a full rest day every week.

🥳I made my number one goals for each workout to have fun and be curious. This eliminated the threat of failure.

🍞 I dialed in my nutrition and figured out what foods made me feel my best (I think @eatbobos was about 60% of my diet). Carb loading didn’t feel much different than how I was eating most days.

🧘🏻‍♀️ I am taking 10 whole days off from anything but long walks with the dog to recover and reset (the first time I’ve taken this much time off of any type of exercise in probably 15 years).

Still always room for improvement and growth - excited to keep learning what works best for me.

📸: @quentinmui.photos