Smarter Run Training: How a Busy Mom Broke Through Plateaus and Got Faster
Meet Rachel Brown – you might remember her from this episode of our podcast.
Rachel is a mother of seven (yes, seven!) boys in a small Alabama town, a former college basketball player turned recreational runner, and – now – a competitive age-group athlete.
How did she get there? How did she balance the competing demands of sport and motherhood to emerge successful in both?
Her evolution didn’t happen through sheer grit alone. It came from a shift in mindset, a smarter training strategy, and the courage to look beyond conventional approaches to endurance training.
Rachel’s story is a standout case study here at Purple Patch. She’s living proof that you don’t need to hammer out more miles or endure fatigue to improve. What you need is clarity, structure, and a path that meets you where you are – especially if you’re juggling performance ambitions with a busy life brimming with real-world responsibilities.
For marathoners and triathletes alike, her journey offers a powerful reminder: performance and joy aren’t mutually exclusive.
Here’s how it all unfolded.
The Challenge: Juggling Chaos, Conflicting Advice, and a Performance Plateau
Rachel’s running journey began as a means to stay fit after her college basketball days. With a full house and barely a moment to spare, running was her pocket of time. But as her boys grew older and a little space opened up, she decided to aim higher – working her way up in distance and eventually eyeing the marathon.
What followed was a familiar story. Like many self-coached athletes, she turned to the internet, running books, and blogs.
The result? A blizzard of conflicting advice, yet many questions left unanswered. Training plans started at week one and ended on race day, but said nothing about what came before or after. There was no advice on how to adapt the workouts around a busy schedule or live’s inevitable surprises. It felt like a one size fits all – or perhaps, a one size fits nobody – approach.
Rachel was left trying to connect the dots on her own.
But there was one common thread. Most of the plans were built around one idea: volume. More miles = more progress.
So that’s what Rachel did: she ran as much as she could within her three to four training days each week, with a heavy emphasis on the long run. She stayed focused on the few months leading into a race. There was no variety, little speed work, and no real understanding of how to build across the duration of a full season.
Her results? Plateaued. Her energy? Drained. Her confidence? Shaky.
But even then, there were glimpses of good instincts. Rachel had already incorporated some cross training with cycling on a spin bike and the occasional swim. She also added in strength training.
She just didn’t yet know how to pull those threads together in a sustainable way that optimized her results.
The Intervention: Purple Patch Philosophy Meets Real Life
Rachel first encountered Purple Patch through the podcast. She was drawn to the idea of a “time-starved” approach to running — one that respects your life and builds you up, not wears you down. The more she listened, the more the philosophy resonated.
When the Purple Patch Run Squad launched, it was a no-brainer. She shifted into a program built specifically for runners like her: busy, driven, and ready for a smarter path to marathons, half marathons, and even 5K and 10K events.
That’s when things began to click. She had a year-round, progressive training plan – not a PDF with a countdown clock and generic intervals. Every session came with purpose and intent, and was flexible to adapt to her schedule.
She started understanding the flow of training blocks. She learned when to push, when to back off, and – crucially – how to plan her week around life.
The secret weapon? The Sunday Special. Each weekend, Rachel spent a short window reviewing her training, looking at family logistics, and mapping how to fit it all together. The Run Squad program’s tools made it incredibly easy to fit the training into her schedule. That 10-minute planning session allowed her to be consistent – the magic ingredient for success as a runner.
She also leaned into expertise and support. She tapped into the available one-on-one coaching consultations: short, focused sessions that helped her solve specific questions. She might connect with a coach on how to pace a race, how to adjust her week around a family vacation, or how to manage unexpected fatigue. It was guidance when she needed it, without overcomplicating things.
And while she never raced triathlon, she embraced the value of multi-sport training for running. The bike offered her low-impact intensity and the ability to develop strength and cardiovascular fitness without any corrosion. It supported her running – without beating her up. Strength training filled in the gaps and ensured she was durable and resilient.
>> Listen now: Reimagine Your Run to Reduce Injury & Get the Results You Want
Rather than checking boxes or getting stressed about hitting a specific mileage, Rachel was training with intention – and seeing results without the running injuries, exhaustion, or plateaus that had previously accompanied her training.
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The Results: Joyful Training, Better Performance, Sustainable Success
Rachel found her rhythm. Her running became an energizing, supportive part of life.
She got faster. She started setting PRs across the board: 5K, 10K, and half marathon. She became competitive in her age group, a long-time goal that once felt distant.
And all of this happened not by adding more training, but by doing the right training.
She stayed healthy. With strength work, smart recovery, and a balanced program that incorporated cross-training, she avoided the overuse injuries that sideline so many age-groupers.
And perhaps most importantly, she started enjoying the process. Her running workouts no longer felt like a stressor or an obligation. It became a source of vitality—a way to enhance, not complicate, her life.
The biggest shift? She started playing the long game.
With a bigger-picture mindset, the pressure melted away. Miss a session? Adjust. Need a recovery day? No guilt.
Rachel discovered that the real power lies in long-term consistency, not short-term perfection.
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Separate Emotion from Identity
Here’s one of the most powerful mindset shifts of them all: Your thoughts are not facts.
Just because that inner voice says:
“I’m not ready.”
“I’m going to blow up.”
“I feel weak today, so I must be weak.”
Doesn’t make it true.
"I feel nervous" doesn’t mean you aren’t ready. "I’m tired" doesn’t mean you’re not fit. These are transient emotions and nothing more.
Notice those thoughts – then let them go. Acknowledge them, but don’t act on them.
So when the inner critic surfaces during a long training session or mid-race, say:
“Oh, hello, self-doubt. I see you. But I’ve got work to do.”
You don’t fight that voice – but you don’t give it a mic, either.
Action Step:
Next time doubt creeps in:
Smile. Literally.
Pick one single, controllable task (like posture, pace, or breathing)
Execute it with complete focus
You are not your performance. Your emotions don’t define your identity.
Looking Ahead: Your Turn to Evolve
Rachel’s story isn’t rare because of the outcome. It’s rare because of the process she followed and mindset shift she made to get there.
Most athletes chase more. She pursued better. And it paid off.
If you’re staring down a training block or a race season feeling overwhelmed by your training or underwhelmed by your progress, let Rachel’s story be your guide: You don’t need to do more. You need to do what matters, and you need a plan that will support that mission.
Whether you’re building toward your next marathon or layering in multi-sport as a triathlete, consider joining the Purple Patch Run Squad. It’s so much more than a set of workouts: it’s a full support system that adapts with you.
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It’s time to take your next step.