Pace Setter : October 2023

Marie-Ange Brumelot: Athlete of the Month

Age, occupation, background, hobbies, other sports? I am 30 yrs old, I am from France and moved to the US 12 years ago for my studies. I graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a M.S. in Real Estate Dev. both from NYU, but today my life is very much centered around running as my husband and I operate a coaching business (Coach Medina NYC).

When and why did you start running? I began about 10 years ago because I had a crush on my now husband and wanted an opportunity to get to know him in a personal setting so I joined him for runs. Worked out great on all levels :)

What’s your favorite race to date and why? The New York City Marathon is an unbeatable experience. From behind the scenes with the pro athlete’s management team to the support from all the local clubs, without of course forgetting the thousands of people out there cheering and making the event happen, it really is the best day in the city. 

What is your approach to training? I am mostly self coached, although my husband does help with his inputs. It has been about gradually building over the years, like one big brick wall we lay one piece at a time. 

Peak weekly mileage for marathon training? For a good block I would aim at 6 weeks between 105-110 miles/week.

Approach to off season? I run simply whenever I feel like it and take advantage of the free time to focus on other aspects of my life. 

During cold winter days, do you brave the poor weather conditions or stick Indoors? I will try to run outdoors as much as possible and only go on the treadmill if it feels truly unbearable or unsafe. 

PRs: Marathon: 2:33:12 Rotterdam 2023, Half Marathon: 1:13:46 Brooklyn 2022

Favorite distance? The marathon, no shorter events bring that many emotions and I have yet to explore beyond. 

Favorite training shoe: easy days in Nike Invisible 

Favorite racing Shoe: Nike Vaporfly

Ever ran in a costume? Pacing NYC Marathon 2019, I had some sort of banana waist costume :)

                   Marie-Ange in Banana Costume at NYC Marathon

Favorite pre-race/post-race meals? Pancakes with Nutella would be great before the race but I often struggle to get food down because of nerves so I take in a high-carb drink. Post-race, a burger and beer!

What challenges/races/adventures are you planning for the upcoming year? The idea of moving up in distance is hovering in my mind, so maybe a road ultra. My father and I would also love to get our “Fastest Half-Marathon Run by Parent and Child, mixed” Guinness record back.

Greatest piece of advice you’ve received? On a podcast, Alexi Pappas shared a quote from one her of coaches, “the rules of thirds”, she explained how when chasing a goal you can expect to feel like crap 1/3 of the time, average 1/3 of the time, and good 1/3 of the time. And if the balance is not roughly in that range, meaning you feel too good all the time or too bad all the time, then you should reevaluate your training.

   Karen Bertasso-Hughes, Marie-Ange Brumelot, Alicia Longo, Josh Merlis in back

---