Run With Ilana - לרוץ עם אילנה

03/08/2026

No, I haven’t been listening in on your conversations. It’s just what everyone says!

Tomorrow won’t have fewer meetings.
Tomorrow won’t have less laundry.
Tomorrow won’t magically give you more motivation.

You’re waiting for a version of life that doesn’t exist.

The people who get stronger, healthier, and fitter aren’t the ones with more time.

They’re the ones who stop waiting.

So start tired.
Start busy.
Start unready.

Just start! A no obligation consultation is a message away!

📲 Ilana 054-779-5770
🏋🏻Personal and group strength training in Jerusalem
🏃🏻‍♀️Virtual run coaching worldwide

02/08/2026

If I could tell myself one thing about training 5 years ago that would have made the biggest difference, it would be this:

Most workouts should not be to failure. Where you couldn’t complete another running interval. Where you couldn’t lift another rep.

It feels awesome in the moment.
Even the burn the day after can be rewarding.

It also sets you up for injury.

Find the minimum effective dose that keeps you consistent and consistently growing.

That doesn’t mean you are slacking. It means you are being wise.

31/07/2026

Today I made up my own long-run alternative.

I’m still capped on running because of rehab, and I’m officially over spending hours on the elliptical. So instead, I rode my bike to a local nature reserve, did my run-walk intervals on a beautiful rolling paved trail, then biked home.

It wasn’t my old long run. But it checked every box:
✅ Followed my physio guidelines
✅ Kept building aerobic fitness
✅ Got me outside instead of staring at a basement wall or my phone

Sometimes progress isn’t about doing what you used to do. It’s about finding creative ways to keep moving forward.

Anyone else ever had to reinvent their training because of an injury?

30/07/2026

My manicure is imperfect because it was lovingly done by my daughter, rather than by a professional.

My workout was cut short because I need to take a different child to a medical appointment.

We are probably ordering takeout tonight rather than eating a home cooked meal, because the week has gotten away from me and I’ll be out all day with work and spending quality time with the kids rather than in the kitchen.

When I expect 100% of things to be perfect 100% of the time, I get disappointed. I’m working on letting go. How about you?

29/07/2026

Get this right and immediately upgrade your next workout.

Watch the lunge:

⬇️ Inhale as you lower.
⬆️ Exhale as you stand.

That exhale isn’t just about getting air out. It helps brace your core, improves stability, and lets you generate more force when you need it most.

And it’s why a lot of people get all wobbly during lunges… and stop doing them!

If you’ve ever caught yourself holding your breath through every rep, you’re not alone. But with one small adjustment, your lifts can feel smoother, stronger, and more controlled.

Save this for your next workout, and pay attention to your breathing as much as your form.

Keep following for more tips!

28/07/2026

What’s the exercise you wouldn’t do unless someone was holding you accountable?

Squats? 🏋️

Running? 🏃🏻‍♀️ It’s ok. We can still be friends.

Everything? 😅

For me, it’s abs. 🫢

When I work out at home, they either don’t happen at all… or I convince myself that two sets are enough when I know I planned for three.

The truth is, you can get an incredible workout at home with very little equipment.

But knowing what to do isn’t usually the problem.

Actually doing it is.

At home, there are dishes in the sink, laundry waiting to be folded, notifications on your phone, and a hundred little reasons to stop early.

At the gym, there’s one job: do the workout.

No negotiating.

No distractions.

Just showing up and putting in the work.

That’s why I don’t think the biggest benefit of a gym is the equipment.

It’s having a dedicated time, a dedicated place, and a little bit of accountability that helps you follow through.

Because consistency isn’t about having the perfect workout plan.

It’s about creating an environment where you’re far more likely to finish it.

27/07/2026

Your kids need this. And so do you!!

Doctors have been recommending more physical activity and less screen time for my kids in response to migraines and vision problems.

They’re right. But it’s not just for the kids. We all need to put down the damn phone and move, twist, lift, and play outside.

Nature fitness is a workout that checks all the boxes: cardiovascular endurance, strength, stability and fun movement in the great outdoors.

Message me for more info about upcoming sessions in Baka, Jerusalem.

26/07/2026

26/07/2026

The thing that will unlock the most success in any program is CONSISTENCY.

How do you do that with family and work commitments, nighttime festivals and crazy heat?

You beat them all by waking up early and carving out time for yourself before others place demands on your time.

I’ll be the last one to tell you it’s easy. I love my sleep and I love my bed and I love hitting snooze.
I also hate the feeling of missing a workout because I said “later” and later never came.

Play your day before your day plays you.

Not every formula will work for everyone. Here are some ideas:
1. Reward yourself each time you get up early until the dopamine hit from exercising is enough
2. Protect your bedtime. Easier said than done, but waking up at 5am is easier if you didn’t lay down at 1.
3. Notice all the amazing things that change in your day when you count yourself first. Do you have more patience? More energy?
4. Notice how cool and crisp and quiet it is outside. Notice the other walkers, joggers and bikers and love that you are now one of “those people”
5. Can’t leave the kids? Find a route right outside the home if that’s possible for you. Get a treadmill or compact cross trainer. Everyone has space for a yoga mat and a YouTube workout with headphones.
6. Focus on building the habit more than what you actually do. 15 minutes of yoga? Awesome! 45 minutes of walking? Rock star! 5 minutes of journaling? Way to go!
Right now you are focused on building the discipline that will build the framework for what’s to come.

24/07/2026

Nope.

This is 17-year-old me laughing at you for asking that question.

For years, I couldn’t understand people who ran… just to run.

Chasing a ball? Sure.

Running because you wanted to? That made absolutely no sense to me.

I went through phases where I became completely obsessed with different sports: Soccer, basketball, then tennis. I started Track and Field to stay fit during the offseason and did not particularly enjoy it, mostly because I was injured non-stop.

When I went to a Division I university, my Division III tennis career came to an end. So I found a new challenge: Tae Kwon Do. I earned my purple belt and spent countless hours in the weight room alongside football players, with absolutely no clue what I was doing.

Then life changed.

Once I started working irregular hours, pickup games became harder to find. Court time wasn’t as easy to come by.

One day I stood at the finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon, watching runners cross. I stayed so long I got sunburned on one side of my face.

And I thought, I’m going to do that.

The rest is history.

It was also years of trial and error. There were injuries, wrong turns, and plenty of guessing how far I’d run because GPS watches weren’t part of everyday life. I couldn’t join local running groups because they met on Shabbat, which I had started observing around the same time I discovered running.

Looking back, I sometimes wish 23-year-old me had access to the knowledge that’s everywhere today.

But then again…

All of those mistakes, detours, and lessons shaped the runner and coach I have become.

That’s why I’m passionate about helping runners cut through the endless stream of advice online and follow a running and strength plan that actually fits their body, their goals, and their life.

Whether you’re lacing up for your very first run or you’ve been running for 30 years, there’s always another level to reach.

I am proud to have helped dozens of runners around the world reach new goals, running farther and faster than ever before.

I’d love to help you get there too.