#138 - How She Did It: Jen's Victory Crushing Cleveland Half Marathon

Sometimes your biggest race win is not the time on the clock. It is realizing your body is still capable of surprising you. In this episode, Louise Valentine, leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, welcomes Jen back to unpack her unexpected victory at the Cleveland Half Marathon, a race run in brutal heat, humidity, and direct sun. What started as a “just have fun” race turned into a powerful lesson in hormone-supportive training, smarter recovery, strategic fueling and trusting a less-is-more running approach.Louise and Jen share how Breaking Through Wellness's strategic strength training, sleep, nervous system support, pre-race hydration, simple fueling, mobility, and 30-second burst strategies empowered Jen to stay strong when the race got hard. They also talk about redefining what a PR really means, especially for women running through perimenopause, life stress, and changing energy needs. This episode is a reminder that running does not have to feel punishing to be powerful. Sometimes the breakthrough comes when you stop forcing your body and start working with it to unlock its full potential!RESOURCES + LINKSLearn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ Learn & level up faster with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.Get your fabulously fit & moisturized glow on with Element LABS beauty & skincare products here.Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!Save $25 off Function Health comprehensive functional labs here. With every sale, $25 goes back to support BTW. Discount code is “LVALENTINE11” Thank you! Episode Highlights:(0:00) Intro(2:44) Jen’s unexpected Cleveland Half Marathon victory(4:06) Redefining what a PR really means(4:22) Pivoting training when life stress is high(6:17) Brutal race-day heat and humidity(7:22) Less running, better hormone support, and nervous system regulation(8:44) Taking pressure off at the start line(12:19) Fueling well without overdoing carb loading(15:14) Heat safety, gels, electrolytes, and mid-race decisions(20:52) Strength training, soreness, and recovery before race day(23:53) The mile 10 decision point(27:02) Crossing the finish line and what the victory symbolized(30:04) Working with the female body instead of against it(33:07) Post-race protein and recovery habits(36:09) Sleep, mobility, and pre-hydration strategies(37:42) The power of running with a friend(38:42) Community, travel, and finding joy through running(58:15) OutroTune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!I'd love to connect!Email 💬  [email protected]  Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.