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Robyn Godfrey: Running the World: A Runner's Odyssey of Struggle and Triumph in the World Marathon Majors

Tough Girl Podcast

Release Date: 10/14/2025

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Robyn Godfrey is an accomplished runner, pacer, RRCA Certified Level 1 coach, and motivational speaker who began her running journey at the age of 47. 

What started as a personal quest to improve her health and overcome her relationship with alcohol soon evolved into a remarkable achievement: completing seven marathons, including the prestigious World Marathon Majors — London, Chicago, Berlin, Boston, New York, and Tokyo.

A dedicated member of the Wilmington Road Runners Club since 2013, Robyn has made a significant impact by coaching and pacing runners, helping them unlock their potential and reach their goals. In addition to her coaching, she has volunteered with organisations like Girls on the Run, empowering young girls to grow both physically and personally through running.


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Show notes

  • Who is Robyn
  • Making a change in her life at 47
  • Starting running for 30 seconds on a treadmill 
  • Facing serious life hurdles over the years
  • Reinventing herself
  • Chasing after her dream
  • Her early years and not being sporty
  • The why before making the change
  • Not being able to stop over indulging 
  • Continuing the journey 
  • Starting to run outside and why it was such a different experience 
  • Run the 10K Cooper River Bridge Run
  • Training for a year to run a 10K
  • Getting hooked on running 
  • Why motivation isn’t enough 
  • Starting to think about taking on a marathon 
  • Running the London Marathon for her 50th Birthday 
  • Getting a place through a lottery ticket
  • How the structure of marathon training fitted in well with her mentality
  • Breaking down big challenges into smaller more manageable goals 
  • Not being a fast runner, but enjoying the process of marathon training 
  • Fitting in training around life and work
  • Carrying a fork 
  • Being a party girl and drinking 
  • Being social and not needing to drink a lot of wine to do that 
  • The Tokyo Marathon
  • Following strict cutoff times
  • 27.8 miles….
  • Recovering after running
  • Core work and conditioning 
  • Strength training for women
  • The mental side of running
  • Being a goal orientated person
  • Run the mile you are in 
  • Keep going - things will turn around
  • The lessons learned from running which can be applied to challenging situations
  • Why running can’t save you from everything
  • Feelings of guilt
  • Completing her goal of running all of the World Marathon Majors
  • Training on trails and running a 50k at elevation
  • Turning 60 next year
  • Planning to run Sydney Marathon
  • Writing her book
  • How to connect with Robyn
  • Wanting to inspire people to go after their dreams 
  • Final words of advice - on how to take the first step
  • Why you can’t just rely on motivation 
  • The power of community 

 

Social Media

Website - www.worldmajormarathonfinisher.com

 

Instagram @beachy_runner 


LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/robyngodfrey 


Facebook www.facebook.com/robyn.godfrey.3

 

Book: Running the World: A Runner's Odyssey of Struggle and Triumph in the World Marathon Majors