How Becs Gentry Went from Smoking and Drinking to a 2:32 Marathon and 4th at the British Olympic Trials —And the 6-Month Break That Changed How She Thinks About Running Forever

Becs Gentry isn’t just an influential Peloton instructor. She’s a 2:32 marathoner, a former British Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher, the first female non-elite at the 2019 NYC Marathon, and now the newest Global Brand Ambassador for HOKA. And that’s not even mentioning her incredible second-place finish in The Great World Race in 2024: she ran 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in 7 days, setting a world record for the fastest time to start seven marathons across seven continents, and then turned around and kept training like it was just another chapter. Prior to that in 2021 she competed in the British Olympic Marathon Trials, finishing 4th with a personal best of 2:32:0. In 2019, she was the first female non-elite finisher at the New York City Marathon with a time of 2:37:01. Becs continues to prove that ambition and accessibility can coexist. She’s not just inspiring runners to chase PRs, she’salso challenging them to redefine what progress means, whether that’s a 2:32 marathon or simply showing up on a hard day. What makes her different isn’t just the résumé. It’s the mindset behind her mantra: Forward is a pace. And she’scontinuing to make a difference in the lives of runners across the globe each day. Tap into the Becs Gentry Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs