If Troy Bedick’s childhood self could see her now, she wouldn’t believe her eyes. That’s because Troy, 32, who works as a beer brewer in Ft. Collins, CO, is a runner. And not only is she a runner, but she runs in marathons and triathlons. And not only does she run in marathons and triathlons, but she actually enjoys it.

You see, Troy hated running when she was growing up in Connecticut and New Mexico. She dreaded the timed mile tests she had to do in school, and according to her, “It always took me the full 16 minutes” to complete them. But later, when a beer-centered lifestyle caused her weight to creep up to 180 pounds, Troy found herself doing the previously unthinkable: She signed up for a run-focused fitness boot camp and completed a half marathon (losing 40 pounds along the way).

A marathon followed, and then a swerve into triathlons. But when a generic training plan found online left Troy feeling underprepared for her first Ironman 70.3, Troy decided to give the 80/20 system a try, and she doesn’t regret it. “I’ve never felt more energized in a training cycle,” she says. “I have a fairly physical job, and I feel like I’m really able to balance my training load and my workload without burning out.”

Troy’s advice for athletes new to the 80/20 approach echoes that of past Athlete Spotlight subjects. “Let your ego go,” she counsels. “People get very tied up with being fast all the time, and even in my running group I felt like I had to justify my easy pace to them as a way to feel legitimate as a runner. As it turns out, I’m faster than half of them on race day and staying injury-free.” And enjoying running more than she ever dreamed she would.