Charlotte Burleson is a beacon of hope for all of the aspiring endurance athletes out there whose knees have been messed up by years of showing horses. We’re only half-joking. In high school, Charlotte, who now lives in Axtell,
Texas, with her husband, Jon, with whom she has three children, ran track and showed horses, but the latter messed up her knees and forced her to leave running alone for many years. After turning 40, however, she decided to buy a bike and fulfill her dream of completing a triathlon. As it turned out, Charlotte not only achieved this goal but finished second in her age group! “I was hooked,” she says.

The following year, Charlotte discovered 80/20 Endurance, and she has since used our plans to complete two Ironman 70.3’s (knocking 30 minutes off her previous time in the second of these) and, most recently, a solo marathon that her loyal husband supported in his pickup. “I love this program!” Charlotte says of her 80/20 experience. “It has treated my body well. I have come to realize that training smarter does not mean harder. It’s just about putting in the time and adjusting the schedule to fit your life.”