Hey Reader,
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Happy Friday, Vitalizers β‘
Race weekend is here. JC Marathon Saturday. Boston on Monday. VTLZR athletes toeing the line in both.
Whether you're racing, spectating, or just soaking up the energy from the sideline, this is what it's all about.
Let's dive in π
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βHereβs what to expect this week:β
π§ Mindset
βπ Vitalizer of the Weekβ
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Community
π₯ Training
π¬ Must Watch
π° The Industry
π§ Quote of the Week
"The work is done. The hay is in the barn. Now it's time to go dance." β Mark Wetmore, CU Boulder XC Coach
There's a moment in every training cycle where you have to stop building and start believing.
The long runs are logged. Intervals done. The early mornings working alone are all behind you. All of it is already in your legs.
You can't cram for race day the way you cram for a test. The fitness is either there or it isn't.
And that's the part most people get wrong.
They spend the last week second-guessing. Did I do enough? Should I squeeze in one more tempo run? Maybe one more heavy session?
No. The hay is in the barn.
This weekend, whether you're racing JC, toeing the line in Boston, or just going for another tough Saturday long run β stop managing and start moving. Trust the months behind you.
Race loose. Race free.
Go dance.
π Vitalizer of the Week: Wesam Elhayek
Two years ago, Wesam Elhayek had no athletic background. Zero.
No high school sports. No weekend 5Ks. Nothing on the resume.
After fun-running the Jersey City Half Marathon in April 2024, she signed up for the MCW Westfield Ultra. She ran 80 miles.
Read that again. First real race ever. 80 miles.
That wasn't a fluke.
In December 2024, she ran over 50 miles in 8 hours at the Frosty Looper in Pennsauken, NJ. Since then, she ran a 3:13 at the 2025 Jersey City Marathon - her first marathon. A 3rd place Age Group finish in Women's Doubles at HYROX NYC with Kat Campbell. Over 100 miles at Last Man Standing in Maine.
Then she went back to the backyard ultra format in Conshohocken, PA, in December and won the entire thing at 126 miles as the Last Person Standing.
Two weeks ago, she and Jenna Carastro took 1st in their Age Group at HYROX Miami Women's Doubles with a 1:01:33.
This Monday? She's toeing the line at the Boston Marathon, chasing a sub-3:10.
And sheβs a nurse practitioner. Up at 5 AM to train and then visiting patients in their homes all day.
If you've ever been around Wesam, you already know she's the first one cheering and the last one to stop. She doesn't just show up for herself. She shows up for everyone.
From having no athletic background to winning ultramarathons and podiuming at HYROX in under two years. That's not just impressive. That's a different kind of wiring.
That's real VTLZR energy.
Give her a follow and send some Boston Marathon love:
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VTLZR Events
We've got some BIG events ahead.
π Saturday, April 18 β’ Jersey City Marathon Shakeout Run β’ Pier A
Powered by Lululemon, RoadRunner Sports, Celsius, and Apollo Bagels. This weekend we've got the pre-race party. Whether you're racing Sunday in JC or Monday in Boston, or just want to run with the crew, pull up.
π Saturday, April 25 β’ VTLZR x UCC HYROX Workout β’ NYC
HYROX NYC prep continues. Last time we packed the house with 80+ athletes. This one will sell out, don't wait for it. Don't forget to apply your drop-in ticket to save your spot.
π June 12β14 β’ VTLZR Hybrid Athlete Retreat #3 β’ Long Beach, NY
Three days on the water with 40+ hybrid athletes who get it. Training, recovery, real conversations, and the VTLZR Games. This year's keynote: Matt Long, FDNY, 9/11 responder, hit by a bus while cycling, told he'd never walk again. Finished Ironman a few years later. He's telling the full story in Long Beach.
Sold out twice. Filling fast.
π₯ Fitness Tip of the Week: Race Day Execution
You trained for this. Now don't outrun your plan in the first 5K.
The number one mistake in every marathon? Going out too fast.
The adrenaline is there. The crowd is loud. You feel amazing. And then mile 18 shows up and collects the debt.
If you're chasing 3:30? Your first mile should feel like an 8:05, not a 7:50. Let the pace come to you.
A Simple Strategy:
Break the race into thirds.
- Miles 1β6: Hold back. Aim for 10β15 seconds per mile slower than goal pace. Not 30β40 seconds slower, just a little patience. Let people pass you. You'll see them again at mile 22. Relax your shoulders. Check your form. Stay smooth.
- Miles 7β18: Lock into goal pace. Focus on effort, not your watch. If you hit a hill or a headwind, don't kill yourself holding an exact number. Maintain the same effort, you'll make the seconds back. This is also your critical fueling window...gel every 25β35 minutes, stick to what you've trained with, small sips at every water station. If your stomach is off by mile 15, switch to water only and ride it out.
- Miles 18β26.2: Now you compete. And honestly? For most of us, "competing" means fighting the fade. Don't expect to feel fast. Just hold on. Pick a runner ahead of you, reel them in slowly, then find a new target.
The Mental Game
Mile 20 is going to hurt. That's not a sign something is wrong β that's the marathon. The runners who PR aren't the ones who don't feel pain. They're the ones who expected it.
When it hits, shrink your focus. Don't think about 6.2 miles left. Think about the next mile. The next aid station. The next landmark. Make the race small enough to handle.
Bottom line
Race day isn't about being the fittest person on the course. It's about being the most disciplined.
π§ This Week's Must-Watch: Eliud Kipchoge β 1:59:40 | Inspirational Video
The night before your race, watch this. That's it. That's the recommendation.
In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge did what scientists said couldn't be done.
He ran a marathon in under two hours. 1:59:40. In Vienna. In front of 120,000 people. When he crossed the line, he said four words: "No human is limited."
You're not trying to break two hours this weekend, but you are trying to do something hard. Something you've been building toward for months. Something that's going to hurt.
This video is 4 minutes of "remind yourself why you do this" energy.
π Watch it hereβ
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π° In Other News (this week in fitness)
ποΈ HYROX Salt Lake City Early Access Opens Tuesday, April 21st at 12 PM ETβ
Mark your calendar! Codes will be posted on Skool for VTLZR+ members. If you're planning your next race, this is your window.
π Join VTLZR+ for registration accessβ
π’ Gymshark Is Opening Its First Gym
The Gymshark Lifting Club is coming to Wynwood, Miami this summer. Part training facility, part content hub, part community center. The billion-dollar apparel brand going from selling gym clothes to owning the gym is a massive move. Worth watching.
π Read more about Gymshark's first locationβ
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130th Boston Marathon Is Monday
Over 32,000 runners from 137 countries. The entire 2024 U.S. Olympic women's marathon team on the start line. Forecast is chilly and breezy, perfect for racing, tough for spectating. VTLZR will be well represented. Send your energy Monday morning.
β Garmin Is Coming for Whoop
Garmin's new Cirqa smart band, a screenless, Whoop-style recovery tracker, looks like it's launching soon. Unlike Whoop, Garmin is expected to offer most features without a subscription. If you've been curious about recovery tracking but didn't want the monthly fee, this could be the move.
π What we know so farβ
πββοΈ COROS Drops a Hybrid Athlete Update
COROS just added a Hybrid Fitness mode built for HYROX. Your watch auto-detects transitions between runs and stations, no button pressing mid-race. Plus a new Pace Strategy feature that builds terrain-adjusted race plans with real-time pacing guidance. Free update for current and older watches. If you're on COROS, update before race weekend.
π See the full updateβ
π What's Happening in VTLZR+
Last Call Recap: We just wrapped a session on Race Week Execution, covering taper mindset, pre-race nerves, nutrition strategy, and how to show up confident.
Next Up: We're diving into post-race recovery and fighting post-race blues: the mental and physical side of what comes after you cross the finish line.
We'll chat about how to recover smart, navigate the emotional comedown, and set yourself up for what's next without losing momentum.
VTLZR+ members save $50β75/month on gear, fuel, and recovery tools from our brand partners. Biweekly expert calls. Full recordings. Real coaching.
As always, thanks for being part of this.
Keep showing up and conquering hard things.
See you soon!
βDerek Morgen
βFounder & Coach, VTLZRβ
βLift for your mind. Run for your soul.
π© Forward this to someone who needs a little extra motivation this week.
Questions, ideas, feedback?β
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