# #191 Sydney Levenfeld: Assaulted on a Run, Then Ran the Race of Her Life

An episode of [The Marathon Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1803837535), 19 Jul 2026, 1 h 04 min.

Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/11464a0e0/podcast/play/123042225/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-6-19%2F428240157-44100-2-9eefa1f86dad6.mp3

Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb Kristian welcomes back Sydney Levenfeld for a check in on everything since her last appearance, including a scary assault while out on a run in New York City, a big move back to Chicago, and a new marathon PR at the Eugene Marathon. Sydney opens up about being attacked by a stranger while running with friends in broad daylight, how she coped with the fear in the weeks after, and the wave of support (and shared stories) she received once she spoke about it publicly. She also shares a health scare two days before the Eugene Marathon, and how she still went on to run a huge PR of 2:46, stepping onto the iconic Hayward Field track to finish. The conversation wraps with her training block, high mileage, recovery habits, and her long-term sights on the Olympic Trials Qualifying standard. In this episode: - Being attacked while running in New York City - Coping with fear and getting back out the door - The response after going public, and using it to raise runner safety awareness - Moving from New York back to Chicago - Training on Central Park hills vs Chicago's flat lakefront - A seizure two days before race day and getting cleared to race - Race recap: Eugene Marathon and a 2:46 PR - Training block breakdown: mileage, doubles, and workouts - Recovery habits: sleep, hydration, and avoiding alcohol - Thinking about the Olympic Trials Qualifying standard Content note: this episode includes a discussion of a physical assault while running, and a brief mention of a seizure related to Sydney's epilepsy. Please take care while listening. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome back and the boxes in the background 01:14 A dramatic start: what happened on a run in NYC 03:20 Filing a police report and processing the shock 05:18 What the weeks after felt like 07:32 Going public and the response from the running community 09:04 Organizing a self defense class 10:15 Safety advice and what she does differently now 12:43 Getting back to good news: previous PR at Chicago Marathon 14:09 Going into the Eugene build with two best friends 15:52 Working with her coach and the goal of 2:44 19:50 What changed in this training block 22:43 Winter running in New York vs the treadmill 27:30 A normal training week during the build 33:04 Upping mileage and adding doubles 36:05 Recovery: sleep, alcohol, and consistency 39:34 Travel to Eugene and a seizure two days before the race 44:16 Race morning: a completely different vibe from the majors 45:33 Running the course and feeling alone in the field 48:34 Crossing the line at Hayward Field: a 2:46 PR 52:48 Thinking about the OTQ standard 54:51 What's next: CIM in December 58:13 Staying grounded and closing thoughts Sydney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydney.b.fitness/ Start your free Musicbed trial: https://fm.pxf.io/kristianwarwick Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.