How Olympian Bev Ramos learned to run through hardship

How Olympian Bev Ramos learned to run through hardship

Beverly Ramos watched footage of almost every available marathon course on YouTube in 2020 when her hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico (and the rest of the world) shut down, forcing her to take her training runs from the road to the treadmill. She also filled her schedule with stationary bike workouts and strength training. “It was a little hard getting on the treadmill every day and not being able to train with others,” says Ramos, who says she loves the social aspect of distance running. Plus, her treadmill could only run as fast as 5:20 per mile — which, believe it or not, is slower than her typical speed workouts. “In a situation like this, of course you have to make the most of the things that are available to you,” she says.

In June 2020, she was back on the track in Puerto Rico, chasing a new national marathon record. Her hard work paid off last December when she ran 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 33 minutes and 9 seconds at The Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona. “I think it was about racing again in 2020 and so many people couldn't do anything,” she says of her excitement at the start line. “For me it was more about being grateful that I have the chance to race and a great opportunity.” Ramos also says she used her years of experience as a runner to boost her confidence for the Marathon Project race and to maintain a strong mental game despite all of 2020's twists and turns.

But during the pandemic, it wasn't the first time that Ramos' training schedule had to be completely changed. Just a few years earlier, Ramos experienced one of the toughest training cycles – and life events – of her life.

Marathon training in the middle of the disaster

In 2017, Ramos trained for the TCS New York City Marathon amid the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which left Puerto Rico with limited access to vital resources, including clean water or fresh food, and without power for much of the island for months. Ramos bunkered down at home with her family on the island, rationed her water supply and lived on canned food.

“Of course you want to keep running, you want to keep doing the things you love, but you also have to take care of all the things,” Ramos says of her priorities of helping her family and Puerto Rico. "At the same time, you have that hour or two just to yourself to deal with the emotional side of your personal life," she adds, of making time for running. (Related: How to Find Time for Marathon Training When You Think It's Impossible)

"It was interesting because when you're getting ready for a race you think about setting a time that you want to run. But for me at the time [training] was more about this being the greatest time of the day because I had nothing else to do," she continues. "Of course I wanted to be as ready as possible for the marathon, but I also wanted to be healthy - that was the most important thing for me. And not just physically, but also emotionally. It was very hard for me."

Still, Ramos remembers one particular run that helped keep her going: It was her first time on the road, just about three days after the hurricane. "Everything was destroyed - trees everywhere, power lines everywhere. And it was really special because people knew me throughout my run [career], they just went outside their houses to cheer me on during my run," she remembers. "I thought this was really special. Even when everyone was going through something so difficult, they still had this special emotion towards me. So I will definitely remember this run for many years to come."

Representing Puerto Rico

In addition to training on the island following the devastation of Hurricane Maria, Ramos is only the second woman in history to represent Puerto Rico at the Olympics - which she did twice, in the steeplechase in 2012 and the marathon in 2016.

She also began her running career in Puerto Rico when she was just 9 years old, where she went for a walk with her mother before following a group of runners in a nearby park, keeping up with their steps. She then joined an athletics club and competed in everything from high jump to hurdles until she realized her talent in distance running at the age of 14. From then on she focused on 800 meter runs and beyond.

“Of course, in the beginning it was like playing with everyone,” she says of her beginnings in the sport. “But as I matured a little bit and understood what I was doing, I definitely fell in love with the training and the commitment and responsibility that you have to have in athletics.”

“I know that I mean a lot to young girls and young runners who follow my career,” Ramos said. "I know it when I'm on the track. I know it when I'm on the street. People recognize what I do and I keep up because of them. Sometimes there are a lot of reasons to continue this sport. And I want to be someone special that a lot of kids in Puerto Rico can follow." (Related: This elite running team is hell-bent on increasing BIPOC representation in sports)

Speaking of advice for future runners, Ramos has some tips for anyone looking to start or sign up for their first race: Focus on what makes you feel good. Then have a few backup plans for when you get to the starting line.

"I always try to go into a marathon with different goals because sometimes you go in with one and it could be devastating [if you don't hit it]," she says. "If you don't meet that expectation, it could be emotionally devastating." She suggests aiming for smaller, more specific goals that can help you focus on something other than the finish line — specific split times, reaching a specific point in the race at a set time, or simply feeling good about a specific mile.

“What I can say for sure is that if you feel healthy about the things you do, you will end up with a good result,” she says. "And I feel like that's what [running] is all about feeling good about what you do."