#202 Alana Levy: From quitting to a 2:34 marathon, OTQ and double days with a full-time job

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Kristian sits down with Alana Levy, a 37 year old New York City product manager and 2:34 marathoner who qualified for the Olympic Trials and finished 16th American at Boston this year, all while working full time and training twice a day.

Alana shares her unlikely late bloomer story: a disappointing college career, years of running just for fun on the side, and then a decade long climb from a 3:10 marathon in 2018 to a 2:34 this year.

She breaks down how she fits 90 to 100 mile weeks and double days around a demanding job, the coaching relationship that's helped her train smarter, and why staying injury free now comes down to strength work, recovery, and a much healthier lifestyle than in her twenties.

The conversation also touches on the viral street interview clip that unexpectedly introduced her to a whole new audience, and closes with her approach to setting goals: focusing on getting a little better rather than chasing one specific number.

In this episode:

- A disappointing college running career and years away from competing seriously

- The decade long climb from a 3:10 to a 2:34 marathon

- Balancing a full time job with double run days

- Building up to 90 to 100 miles a week and staying injury free

- How her lifestyle has changed since her twenties: less drinking, more recovery

- The viral street interview clip that introduced her to a new audience

- Qualifying for the Olympic Trials and racing Boston in the elite field

- Why she sets process based goals instead of one specific outcome

- What's next: chasing another PR in Valencia

Timestamps

00:00 A preview: PRing in the marathon and the mile

00:20 Welcome and introducing Alana Levy

01:08 Kristian's Ironman training update

15:04 Introducing Alana: a disappointing college career

17:03 What running looked like between 2011 and 2018

20:35 Never expecting to reach an elite level

23:56 Pinching herself at the Boston starting line

26:53 Ramping training back up in 2018 and beyond

31:05 Starting to work with a coach in 2022

34:41 Staying injury free with strength work and recovery

40:53 Racing Boston in the elite field

46:47 The viral street interview clip, explained

51:34 Injury prevention and a healthier lifestyle in her thirties

52:22 A look at her weekly training structure

59:32 Balancing running with a full time career

1:04:23 How recovery has changed as she's gotten older

1:12:21 Bouncing back from Boston and racing shorter distances

1:14:07 Why she sets process goals instead of one outcome

1:15:25 Closing thoughts and see you in Valencia

Alana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yo_lans/

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Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns

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