Becky Croft Is Sharing How Women Athletes Can Thrive Long-Term

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My guest is someone that I recently connected with on social media.

She’s a running coach who specializes in working with masters’ athletes and also created a fitness-based product brand.

I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with Becky Croft today!

Becky Croft

Early In Her Running Journey

Becky Croft doesn’t have a long history of running.

She didn’t do much of it in school and disliked PE class.

Running wasn’t even on her radar till she was an adult.

She was first introduced to the sport in 2007.

Her best friend was the one that got her to try running.

Becky wanted to lose some weight at the time and decided running might help.

According to Becky, it took a few years for her to solidify as a runner.

It was 2 years later, that Becky began to take more of an interest in learning about the sport.

An Unlikely Motivation

Becky started off following the Couch to 5k (C25k) program.

At various points throughout training she had doubts about her ability to finish, but each time she surprised herself.

Upon completion of C25k, Becky was officially hooked.

Her first 5k was a small local race and at the very end, she got passed by a child and an old man.

It was at that moment that Becky recognized her internal competition.

She wanted to see how much better she could be at the sport.

Becky was motivated to learn more and challenge herself.

She naturally progressed from a 5k up to a half marathon.

Racecation

As Becky got more involved in racing, she began to venture further for races.

Traveling for races was a great way to explore other places while also doing the thing she loved most.

On a whim, Becky entered into the Berlin lottery, thinking her chances of getting in were slim to none.

She was shocked to find that she was accepted and the road to someday completing the majors had begun.

Becky completed the Berlin Marathon, but it wasn’t her favorite race experience.

She didn’t love huge races, the weather was less than ideal, and the language barrier proved challenging.

Typically Becky prefers to do one marathon per year.

Next year she is hoping to run London as a charity runner.

An Open Book

Becky has come a long way in the marathon, shaving off 25 minutes in her most recent race.

She is a mere 7 minutes away from running a Boston qualifying time.

Her training has been far from smooth over the years.

Becky began menopause early due to health issues that required surgery.

Menopause forced Becky to adjust the way she approaches training.

She is a self-described “open book” and wants to share her experiences with other women.

A six-year battle with endometriosis led to a handful of surgeries over the years.

Eventually, she and her doctor made the decision to opt for a hysterectomy.

Becky Croft

Lack Of Resources

Becky got a hysterectomy at the age of 38 and was thrown into menopause seemingly overnight.

Other than routine post-op appointments, Becky realized that there was a real lack of support and information.

There weren’t many resources regarding women athletes and menopause.

Becky found that if she wanted to find the information, she had to educate herself with the help of doctors and other specialists.

The process of educating herself, made Becky want to share what she learned with other women.

All women will eventually have hormone fluctuations and will need to adjust how they train.

Becky advocates for all women to speak up when they don’t feel normal rather than accepting it and staying silent.

Inviting Curiosity Into Training

Becky is a full-time running coach and form instructor.

She encourages all coaches to invite more curiosity into training.

There are numerous opportunities for male coaches to learn more about the changes female athletes go through.

Form is also a big piece of the puzzle that a lot of coaches are missing or simply overlooking.

Becky brings a well-rounded approach to her running and coaching.

She is a Native American and is proud to be able to represent that group in the coaching arena.

Becky coaches both men and women, but she does focus on master runners as well as menopausal running.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Stay connected with Becky Croft by following her Instagram Coaching page along with hustle. Run. thrive. (Fitness Inspired Brand)

Becky Croft is helping women athletes thrive regardless of their age. She's helping to demystify menopause. Click To Tweet

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