Betsy Magato Is Helping To Change The Way Runners Worldwide Connect

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Today’s guest is a lady that I got to talk to recently, and before we finished our chat I knew I wanted to continue the conversation on the podcast.

She’s a mom of 3, a multi-time Boston qualifier, and a fellow running coach.

I am looking forward to going on an easy run with Betsy Magato today!

Betsy Magato

Never Not A Runner

Betsy Magato has been running for as long as she can remember.

More specifically, she has been doing organized running since the sixth grade.

Between track and soccer, Betsy found that she loved running and had a natural talent for the sport.

Now as an adult with a family of her own, running has consistently been in her life through every season.

Betsy is one of the lucky few that has been relatively healthy over the years and has sustained limited injuries.

Part of the reason she has stayed injury-free is that she always listens to her body.

She believes in nipping little issues when they crop up to avoid being sidelined by an injury.

Bets also runs in her current ability and only trains up to the point her body can handle.

There Is Never A Perfect Time

Betsy loves to train, but she also loves to rest after big races.

She races frequently and logs a lot of miles, but she always finds a way to fit in strength training.

Everyone has busy lives and there will never be a perfect time to do it all.

Training sessions don’t have to be long and/or complicated.

A little bit consistently adds up in big ways.

As a mother of 3, Betsy often has to fit in her training early in the day to ensure it gets done.

She is a big believer that a little bit of anything is better than nothing when it comes to training.

Boston

Betsy is no stranger to running the Boston Marathon.

She has qualified for and ran the historic race multiple times.

Her first Boston was over 20 years ago in 2001 before she had kids.

She has since run the race multiple times after having kids.

The last Boston she ran was in 2021 and that was the most incredible 26.2 miles she has ever run.

Betsy got the opportunity to push a child in a wheelchair while representing the Kyle Pease Foundation.

The foundation strives to “create opportunities of inclusion for every person with a disability.”

Inclusion In Sport

Betsy has always been a big believer in inclusion in sports.

She had always wanted to push someone in a wheelchair during a race.

The opportunity to do so was somewhat last minute and very unexpected.

She got a phone call in July of 2021 for the opportunity and had until October to prepare to be able to push a wheelchair 26.2 miles.

Betsy was required to qualify with her time to be allowed to run the race.

She ran a qualifying race with the wheelchair, but it broke down during the race.

Betsy missed her qualifying time by 90 seconds, but the Boston officials saw she was well on her way to finishing in the allotted time.

Though each hill was exponentially harder while pushing Lizzie, Betsy had no regrets and would do it all again.

Betsy Magato pushing Lizzie

Pandemic Running

The pandemic and lack of races allowed Betsy some time to challenge herself in new and unique ways.

She came across a running challenge in which you run 10 miles 10 days in a row.

Betsy wanted to see if she was capable of it and she surprised herself when she completed it in one piece.

During that 10 day period, she learned the importance of truly running easy.

Betsy currently lives and runs in Georgia where it’s often hot and humid.

She spent some time out west and was able to experience running in dry heat.

When given the choice, she would choose dry heat over humidity.

Charge Running

Betsy has been a coach with Charge Running for about 4 years.

Charge Running is a running app that Betsy likens to Peloton for runners.

The program offers a range of options for everyone regardless of experience level.

Live and on-demand runs are available each week where you can “run alone together.”

During the guided classes, coaches offer real-time feedback with a live chat option.

The playlists are unique for each coach, but there is also an option to turn off the music or listen to your own playlist.

Charge Running is offering a free 30-day trial for anyone listening to this podcast.

The link for the free trial will be available in The Diz Runs Tribe Facebook group or by scanning the QR code below.

A Diz Runs Charge group experience is being planned with a tentative date of April 30, 2022, at 9 am Eastern Time.

Charge Running 30-day Free Trial

All That Running Gives

The start of the pandemic shifted the focus of Charge Running.

They already worked with a lot of non-profits but wanted to widen the scope even more.

In the last 12 months, Charge Running provided a platform for non-profits to put on fundraisers in the form of races.

Those charities have raised over 3 million dollars with the help of Charge Running.

Running has given Betsy a career that she is passionate about but it has also given her so much more.

She is a better person in other areas of her life, because of running.

Though her kids aren’t runners themselves they’re always watching the commitment that Betsy puts into running.

Betsy is quick to assure anyone she comes into contact with that it’s never too late to start.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Stay connected with Betsy Magato by following her on Instagram and/or Facebook.

Betsy Magato is helping to create change with how runners all over the world connect. She thrives on sharing her joy of the sport with others and making it a more inclusive sport for all. Click To Tweet

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