Robin Arzón has stood at the New York City Marathon starting line before. Eight times, to be exact. Between those eight, in case anybody was still doubting her, she lined up for 19 more marathons and ultramarathons all around the world. And this November, Robin will line up for marathon number 28, back where it all started. 

Last time Robin ran this race, her firstborn was just nine months old. Now she's a mom of two, into her 40s, and both kids will be there to cheer her on. 

We sat down with Robin to talk about what keeps pulling her back to the starting line, how 27 marathons change your relationship with the miles, and what "Run the Season" means after you keep doing it, again and again. 

__ 

NOBULL: 27 marathons. A handful of ultras. What keeps you coming back for more? 

Robin Arzón: There is always this little question, beckoning inside me, asking “What more can you give?” And I love the process of training. Race day comes and goes (doesn't always go as planned), but you can always keep in your back pocket, for a rainy day, the effort that you put into showing up at that finish line. 

NB: You've run NYC eight times already. Hell, even your IG handle is @robinnyc. When did your love affair with this city (and race) start? 

RA: I LOVE the New York City Marathon. It’s my favorite race in the world. I fell in love with New York City as a kid, came back here for school, and then as an adult, when I started to really love movement and running and I was being enveloped by New York City Bridge Runners and the running community, New York City really became my training partner. I mean, there is such a give and take between the folks who live here and the folks who push this city with their feet on the pavement. And I love the dynamic energy that the city brings.  

There is literally nothing like New York City on marathon day. November 1, it'll be next level. There are millions of people out there on the street cheering you on. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

NB: So, what's your goal for this one? What makes this race different from the 27 that came before it? 

RA: My goal for this race is really just feeling strong in my body and making my kids proud. This is my very first marathon as a mom of two. The last time I did New York City, my daughter was nine months old and she was cheering me on at mile 23. But now my kids have seen me train. They know when Mommy's going out for an 18-miler, for a 20-miler. They have a little bit of a concept of exactly how far and hard that is. And I want them to see me do and accomplish hard things. 

NB: At NOBULL, we talk about "Your pace, your journey". Over these races, how has your relationship with pace and time changed? 

RA: I have a different relationship with pace and time than I used to. I think I used to run myself into the ground with a PR being the only goal. Obviously, PRs are fantastic, but now I have almost like an A goal, a B goal, and a C goal. And the overarching feeling I want is to finish this race strong and injury-free. I have a sense of what I can do, but you never know what race day is going to offer you, what the weather's going to be like... and this is my first marathon into my 40s. So, this feels like I get to turn a new page and write a new chapter.  

I've never been stronger physically. I've never been able to lift more weight. So it feels like this new version of myself can own the pen and write a new story with this marathon finish line. So, I think I have a gentler relationship with the clock. It's a tool, not the whole story. 

NB: For the hybrid athletes out there, or even pure lifters who want to run a marathon—how do you adjust? 

RA: I was able to maintain pretty much my three-day-a-week split (back squat, bench, deadlift) up until my long runs started hitting 18 miles and up. Then I pulled back on barbell, back squat, and deadlift and instead started incorporating those movement patterns with dumbbells. And really, instead of having a three-day split, I went to a two-day full body split, with my heavy lift being only a bench press. Then I'll start to fold barbell work back in after the marathon. I think a two-day full body split is totally reasonable. In terms of percentages, you really don't want to be going above 75% of your one-rep max during that last half of the training block.  

I'm in maintenance mode, and I trust that my body is going to remember how to back squat and deadlift heavily after the race is done. 

NB: How do you recover after a long run and get ready for the next one? Any non-negotiables? 

RA: After a long run, I try to take the next day off. That's not always possible. But I'm definitely hydrating and making sure my carbs are up immediately after the run. I'm not always hungry, but I'm taking in a shake. Those carbs are informing muscle protein synthesis, along with the protein I always have in my smoothie. And sleep. Sleep is the number one thing. I've been in bed by 9 PM almost every single night during this marathon training block (to the extent I can control it). And I think that's been the biggest variable. 

NB: What’s one NOBULL product you’ve got to have with you during training or on race day? 

RA: Over the last few months of training, I've gotten really comfortable running in the Drive Thin Strap Bra and the 4” High-Rise Drive Short, so that's what I'll be racing in. Race day isn’t when you mess with what works. 

And the NOBULL design team is making my race day kit a little extra special: my signature yellow color everywhere, “ROBIN” on the bra, and some extra NOBULL logos so nobody can miss me out there (especially not my kids). 

NB: Other than the marathon route itself, where's your favorite place to run in New York? 

RA: Probably over the bridges. I love doing what I call a “triple bypass”: over the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, then over the Brooklyn Bridge, and then back over the Williamsburg Bridge. That'll usually be a pretty good 20-mile run for me. 

NB: Marathon #28 crosses off another chapter. What's next on the list? 

RA: After the marathon, I'll go back into HYROX training once I've taken a little recovery. I am always open to a new fitness challenge. I think that I'm going to be the kind of person who wants to challenge herself until the day I die, so maybe we'll have to invent some brand-new races for the 90+ set. 

NB: Lastly, what does "Run the Season" mean to you? 

RA: Honor my body. Rattle the age cage. Make my kids proud. 

__ 

Robin's race is right around the corner. And if the last 27 taught her anything, it's that the clock (or even the finish line) is never really the point of your season.  It's who you become by running it. 

Author Bio:

Sean Knight is a freelance senior copywriter from Los Angeles, CA, bringing a sharp, grounded voice to leading e-commerce, tech, and lifestyle brands around the world, with published works in Forbes, Outside, and Range Magazine, among others.