Peloton Instructor is making her mark as a distance runner and here she explains some of the secrets of her success

Recognised globally as the face of Peloton and with associated celebrity status, Becs Gentry is now, in equal measure, a leading British marathon runner.

The 35-year-old Tread Instructor lives and trains in Brooklyn, New York, and from relative obscurity – within elite athletics at least – clocked 2:32:01 to finish an impressive fourth at the British Olympic marathon trials at Kew Gardens in late March.

“I ran with my heart and soul,” she wrote on Instagram after her five-minute personal best. “I smiled, I wanted to cry and everything in between … Never stop chasing your dreams. They’re yours for the taking.”

Gentry, originally from Worcester, trains alone with guidance from her coach Stephen Kersh and splits her training between outdoor runs and speed work on the Peloton Tread+ at home.

Prior to London, she ran 2:37:01 to finish first female (non-elite) in the 2019 New York City Marathon.

Typical training week

Gentry teaches Tuesday through to Saturday and has her days off from Peloton on Sundays and Mondays. Her week is split between two speed training sessions, one long run and building medium easy-pace runs combined with strength training.

“My training week is unorthodox to a lot of people but we (my coach and I) believe that the most important element to success is getting the work done,” she says.

Monday: long run
Tuesday: easy run + strength training
Wednesday: speed work
Thursday: medium distance run
Friday: speed work
Saturday: easy run
Sunday: off

“My long runs change throughout my training cycle, but building up towards the race [London] I topped out at 24 miles, and my medium distance runs were around 8-14 miles,” says Gentry, whose average weekly mileage in the lead up to London, including teaching, was around 85.

“The biggest change to my training [once committed to the marathon trial] was working very closely with Stephen and focusing on training to hit a specific pace – that’s not something I’d done in marathon training before.

“There were a few key sessions of speed work that Stephen highlighted ahead of time as important and great indicators of strength and speed. They were long and difficult but peppered in along the way they were fabulous achievements and bolstered my confidence as I trained.

“I thrive off those tough, long speed sessions,” she says. “The kind of workouts you dread when you see them in your schedule, however when they are done you feel so proud.”

In addition to running, Gentry, who considers a dedicated rest and recovery routine essential to her progress, strength trains – focusing on single leg balance and core work – and walks her dog multiple times each day. She recovers using NormaTec boots and Hyperice tools and relaxing.

Gentry’s performance in London was testament to her commitment and belief in herself and her training.

“Treadmill running is a great way to help train your mind for the monotony of a long-distance race,” she says. “It is also a wonderful way to focus on your speed because you literally key it in and sit there, becoming familiar with discomfort but growing stronger as you go.”

New York Marathon – her third marathon in 2019 (she ran 2:53:39 in Hong Kong and 2:49:39 in Boston) and a significant PB at the time – had reinforced her confidence in her ability to run faster over long distances, but a reduced mileage and a changed routine as a result of the pandemic made her question if that pace was still possible.

“In my heart I knew that my determination and dedication to training would get me there and, as ever, I take such joy in being my own experiment,” she says.

An inspirational figure on social media, Gentry is also empowering. “I will thrive in hard times,” she wrote on Instagram. “Internalisation is a key to endurance running. Being okay with the wild conversations, thoughts and emotions that surge through your mind as you silently continue on your monotonous journey.

“Training gets you to the place where you can handle this dialogue. Training doesn’t mean you’ll always succeed in rising above it. Running, like life, is Russian roulette, it’s a box of chocolates … you never know what you’re going to get. So go out with your heart. Find positivity in the darkness and remember it will be okay in the end.”