Amy Margolis Thrives On Variety And Continually Pushing Her Limits

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Today’s guest is a lady that stays busy training across all disciplines, from running to triathlons, to CrossFit.

She’s done some pretty iconic races, including Boston and Kona, so no doubt we will have at least a few things to talk about today.

I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with Amy Margolis!

Never Too Old To Start

Being active has not been a lifelong endeavor for Amy Margolis.

It was around the age of 30 when Amy realized that her life was on a bad trajectory.

She wasn’t living a healthy lifestyle and knew she needed to make changes.

The first change she made was to go to her local gym and hire a trainer.

The fitness world was all brand new to Amy in the beginning.

She eventually began incorporating walking on the treadmill and soon progressed to short stints of running.

Amy didn’t enjoy running at first, but it didn’t take long for the activity to grow on her.

She ran her first 5k twenty-one years ago and hasn’t stopped since.

Testing Her Limits

Amy steadily progressed through all the distances and ran her first marathon 4 years after she started running.

Her lack of knowledge about how to train for and run a marathon contributed to her less than the ideal first experience.

The marathon may have gone badly, but she completed it and learned a lot in the process.

Amy was anxious to see what else she was capable of and that led her to start exploring triathlons.

She was able to swim recreationally but chose to sign up for swim lessons to become faster and more efficient.

Amy loved the entire experience and began to dip her toes into the triathlon world.

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Swim, Bike, Run

Amy started small with sprint triathlons.

The first race she competed in was challenging, but she knew she wanted to work to improve.

Her love for triathlons began to take on a life of its own and at some point, it became a lifestyle for her.

Amy completed her first Ironman triathlon 3 years after her first marathon.

From there she went on to do 7 Ironmans in 5 years.

Amy was at a tough point in her life with her marriage, which was part of the reason she threw herself into Ironman training.

Training became her safe place and a sort of therapy for her during this period in her life.

After completing 7 Ironmans, Amy knew she needed a break from the training and took a step back.

The Race Of A Lifetime

Amy wound up taking about 5 years off from competing in triathlons.

This break was exactly what she needed to regain some of her excitement for the sport again.

Her first race back was Kona, the epitome of Ironman races.

Amy had been volunteering in the medical tent at Kona for almost a decade before she got the opportunity to race it herself.

As a long-time volunteer for the race, she got the opportunity to get a spot in Kona through a lottery system.

When she found out she got the spot, she immediately accepted, hired a coach, and began training.

The race was everything that Amy had imagined.

She didn’t complete it in her fastest time, but at no point did she suffer.

The experience was just as magical as Amy had hoped it would be.

Consistency Is Key

Training for and completing Ironman races is no easy task.

Following an Ironman race, Amy would typically take some time off afterward to recover.

She trained consistently throughout the year, but she didn’t maintain the intensity.

Amy would remain under her peak level of training most of the year while maintaining her base in all 3 sports.

When she was 4 to 5 months out from a race is when she would begin to ramp up training again.

This training schedule worked to keep her in shape, but she was consistently dealing with injuries.

The one big component she was missing was strength training.

Working On Her Weaknesses

Over the years, Amy has dealt with a variety of injuries some of which required surgery.

A friend convinced her to incorporate strength training into her routine.

Amy was feeling broken all the time and figured there was no harm in trying.

Her first time walking into a CrossFit gym was a humbling moment.

Even though she had completed multiple Ironman races she quickly realized she was lacking in strength.

The various movements involved in Crossfit emphasized where her imbalances were.

Amy went all-in on Crossfit during her off-season and became stronger than ever.

It didn’t take long for her to notice the correlation of decreased injuries as she grew stronger.

Strength = Speed

The consistency with strength training not only decreased Amy’s injuries, but she also noticed she was getting faster at running.

She began to gain confidence that running a Boston qualifying (BQ) time would be possible.

The first race Amy attempted to BQ at was the NYC marathon.

That course isn’t ideal for running a fast time and as a result, she didn’t run a BQ there.

Amy wasn’t deterred and rather she continued to grind and push herself.

She shaved off time with each marathon she ran, getting her closer to the time needed to qualify.

In 2016, Amy ran 5 marathons and finally ran the time she had been chasing for so long.

Boston

Amy ran the Boston marathon in 2017.

Her husband had qualified as well and they had plans to run the race together.

Prior to the race, they both got involved with the company Hyland’s Naturals.

At the time the company was heavily involved in the Boston marathon.

The company treated the athletes working with them like elites.

Amy had an incredible experience even though it was an extremely hot day.

She soaked it all in and finally got to cross the finish line in Boston.

Giving Back

Amy has over a decade of experience volunteering at races and giving back.

She loved being on the racecourse and helping the athletes.

The weather is typically hot and humid on race day.

The number one issue that Amy helped treat was dehydration.

Hypernatremia (over-hydrating) was another common issue that athletes often dealt with.

Kona will always hold a special place in Amy’s heart.

What Running Gave Her

Amy has enjoyed the variety that running has offered and continues to explore and push her limits.

Running has also provided Amy with an activity to do with her dogs.

She is a huge animal lover and enjoyed growing her bond with her pets through running.

Her first dog Mira shared many miles with Amy over the years.

Mira passed away in 2021, but her memory will always remain with Amy.

Amy and her husband adopted another dog, Ruby, and are slowly teaching her to run with them.

Ruby is 10 months old and slowly working up her mileage.

Running has given Amy more than she ever imagined and has no plans to slow down.

She met her current husband and some of her closest friends through the sport.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Ironman Kona
• Tunnel Marathons

Stay connected with Amy Margolis by following her on Instagram.

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Amy Margolis avoided athletics at all costs growing up. Now she is a Kona Ironman finisher and ran a BQ time. She will never underestimate herself again. Click To Tweet

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As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

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