The Roadmap: Becs Gentry's Journey to the Olympic Marathon Trials
By Peloton•
The Roadmap: Becs Gentry's Journey to the Olympic Marathon Trials
This four-part docuseries chronicles the highs and lows of Becs' epic feat.
She ran her first 5K when she was 23. Her first marathon when she was 29. And now, at age 35, she’s reached a new pinnacle after racing for a chance to represent Team Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics.
You know Becs Gentry as your effervescent running coach—the one who inspires you to run into your unknown, leave fear by the wayside and joyously celebrate your body through movement. In order to convey these sage lessons to us, though, Becs has to believe and live them herself. And oh, does she. For every stride taken in class with you and every turn taken through the streets of New York City, Becs is just as passionate a runner as anyone would assume her to be. It’s this inner flame that has molded her into the elite runner she is, and one we at Peloton are so proud to call one of our own.
There’s an inherent, decidedly cinematic narrative to Becs Gentry’s running story, traversing her early days running through the streets of London as a means to get to work, all the way to running the loops of Kew Gardens in pursuit of the biggest achievement of her career. Across oceans, time zones and thousands of miles, this is The Roadmap: Becs’ Journey—a four-part docuseries where we’re by Becs’ side before, during and after the Great Britain Marathon Trials, getting an inside look into her training, mental state and unwavering fortitude. In any class with Becs, you experience this determination firsthand; in these episodes, you’ll meet the driving forces behind her aspirations and achievements, and we’re sure you’ll gain a slice of perspective to take forth into your own life as well.
watch the final episode:
CATCH UP ON EPISODEs 1-3:
Come back here each week for a new episode. Meanwhile, we’re chronicling the epic timeline of Becs’ running journey below!
2010: Becs runs her first 5K race in Brighton, England.
“As I ran down the finishing straight, I heard the race announcer say my number in the same breath as ‘top 10 finisher.’ I was overwhelmed.”
2012: Running is integrated into Becs’ life as she runs to and from work daily.
“The more miles I clocked up, I either organized my mind or emptied my mind.”
2016: Becs runs her first marathon—the London Marathon—in 3:29:00, a 7:58 min/mile average.
Before the race, Becs wrote in a caption on Instagram, “Starting out on any journey is so exciting; the journey I seem to have found myself on recently is one of exploration and adventure, of discovering new strengths and weaknesses about myself.”
2017: Becs runs the Boston Marathon in 2:49:39, a 6:42 min/mile average.
“Something inside me bubbled. Call it power, call it strength, call it insanity, but it made me drive harder and faster than I could have dreamt.”
2019: Becs runs the New York City Marathon in 2:37:01, a 6:01 min/mile average, and finishes as the first non-elite female.
“The smile that was on my face is a smile that stays with me to this day.”
2020: Team Great Britain invites Becs to compete in the Marathon Trials for a chance to represent her country at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I cried. I accepted within 10 minutes of receiving the email!”
March 2021: Becs finishes the Team Great Britain Marathon Trials in 2:32:01, a 5:48 min/mile average, as the 4th female across the line.
"The feeling coming over the finish was more relief than I've ever felt, for any race that I've ever done."
This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.