"I didn't know what I was doing at all...I didn't take any gels in my first marathon...Now I take gels like every 5K or sometimes every 30 minutes."

Emilia Benton is a freelance health and wellness journalist who is particularly passionate about sharing diverse stories and elevating underrepresented voices. Her work has been published by outlets such as Runner's World, Outside RUN, SELF, Women's Health and the Houston Chronicle. Emilia is also a 14-time marathoner, 50-something-time half-marathoner and USATF Level 1-certified run coach.

We talk about the races she has run and worked at this year (including riding on the lead vehicle in Boston), and:

• Why she keeps running marathons (14+), and why she loves the Houston Marathon
• How she has approached training for races lately & why she hired nell rojas as her coach
• A plea for wider carbon-plated shoes
• How she approaches fueling now and what she has learned along the way
• Her hydration tricks for getting through the heat of a Houston Summer
• How she transitioned from being a FT journalist at the Houston Chronicle to a job in healthcare to freelance work
• and more!

Follow Emilia @emiliambenton on Instagram.

Follow @lane9project on Instagram, and reach out anytime: Lane9project at gmail dot com.

To find a clinician or coach who specializes in women's health and sport, go to Lane9Project.org/directory.