In Lane 9 with Brittany Battis
Runner and coach Brittany Battis shares her journey to running, her experience with disorder, and the steps she took to find balance and health.
Britt is a full time nurse and owner of Run Your Life, a Run and Strength coaching company. She grew up a competitive gymnast turned collegiate pole vaulter who found competitive running in 2015.
Why did you start running and what made you stick with it?
In 2015, after moving to Boston from Connecticut, I started taking running more seriously. I was a year out of college and seeking a new outlet. I struggled to find my place after years of being involved in sports and structure. I grew up as a competitive gymnast, ran mid-distance and jumped in high school, continued pole vaulting in college, and later returned to club gymnastics! I’ve always loved training, no matter the sport. Running stuck with me in Boston, largely because of the incredible community. After watching my first Boston Marathon in 2016, I was hooked.
What is the biggest (life/health/personal) lesson running has taught you?
Running has taught me that no matter if you win or lose that day, you’re better and stronger for it. Everyday you get to test your strength and motivation and at a given moment on a run or in a race you have to be present, stay positive, be vulnerable, be gritty, and never settle.
There is something about that daily grind of training for a goal that always seems impossible, until you do it.
What is your favorite mile on a long run? Why? What about the least?
When I'm out on a long run, hitting mile 5 is my sweet spot. By then, I’m warmed up, loose, and fully settled into my rhythm. Mile 1, on the other hand, is not so hot. Nothing is as humbling as those first few steps when your body feels eh and your mind is still playing tricks on you if it's going to be a good run or not!
Chime in! What’s your favorite and least favorite mile on a long run?
You’ve been open about your experience with disordered eating. Can you share a bit about your experience and what helped you overcome it?
When I first moved to Boston as a new grad nurse, I was overwhelmed by the challenges of settling into a new city and making friends. As a way to “control” what I could, I clung to what I knew best, fitness. I became fixated on numbers and being smaller, pushing myself through HIIT workouts and runs while obsessively tracking every calorie. If I “overate” (or what I thought as overeating), I’d restrict myself the next day or push harder in my workouts. I became consumed with the idea of being "healthy," but in reality, it was the complete opposite.
The breaking point came when my mind was constantly occupied by thoughts of food. Planning my next meal, counting calories, and worrying about what I ate every second of the day. My body was starving, and it had lost trust in me.
I was irritable, tired, and hungry all the time. My relationships, especially with my now husband, were being affected. I found an incredible therapist who helped me through unpacking my negative relationship with food, body image, and exercise. I was challenged to stop viewing food as "good" or "bad" and slowly began to face fear foods. As part of my healing process, I reduced my focus on cardio, Barry's Bootcamp, and other high intensity activities, allowing myself to slow down. That’s when the shift happened and I discovered strength training.
You're a strength coach and you often use your platform to encourage runners to lift. How has strength training helped you remain healthy both in terms of ED recovery and injury prevention?
Lifting completely changed my perspective on exercise. Mentally, it gave me a newfound sense of confidence and shifted my mindset away from obsessing over burning calories or shrinking my body. I loved the empowering feeling of lifting heavy and watching my muscles grow.
When I discovered lifting, I took a year off from structured running, no races, no training plans, just a focus on my time in the gym. That year allowed me to heal both mentally and physically. As I distanced myself from my past, I did begin to feel the urge to run again. At first I thought the time I spent lifting would erase all those years of running, but it actually helped me rebuild my running base a lot more quickly than I expected. My strength training gave me the foundation to get back to running with ease.
Now, I encourage others to consider cutting back on 10%-15% mileage to make room for strength training, even if it’s just for a season. Committing to a structured strength program can offer so much more than just injury prevention or benefits for bone health and neuromuscular function. It will give you that same empowering, F*** yes feeling I felt when I hit a new PR or picked up a heavier dumbbell. It is that confidence and strength that transfers into all areas of life, including your running.
Can you tell us about your most difficult run/race? How did you overcome that?
Looking back, Boston 2019 is the race that stings the most. Not because of the course, or because I’d already faced the wild 2018 Boston monsoon, and now 2019 brought warm, humid conditions. It stings because I knew I was training under-fueled, and tried to get away with it. I only took 3 or 4 gels throughout the entire race and still couldn’t understand why I hit a wall at mile 20. My long runs had been pointing toward a 3-hour marathon, but I was still training with a constant fear of carbs and I know now, you can’t get away with that on race day. You will be exposed.
That race was a wake-up call. I desperately needed to seek help, stop fearing food, and finally WANT to fuel my body properly so I could reach my full potential.
What's the most important thing you want female-bodied athletes to know about the sport of running?
I want young girls and women to know that you don’t have to sacrifice your health or well-being to run fast or far. In a world dominated by social media and unrealistic beauty standards, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to running. You will excel as a runner and be the most consistent athlete when you focus on balance. Balance with training, relationships, and food, rather than focusing on perfection.
If there was one running taboo or misconception you could completely debunk, what would it be?
Lifting heavy will slow you down!! Lifting does NOT mean bulky. It means becoming a better, stronger athlete. It builds resilience, prevents injuries, and improves muscular strength, endurance and power. You should try it :)
Where can we find you to support you in your running adventures?
You can follow me on IG @runyourlife_ and also www.runyourlifecoaching.com
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