The best time to run a marathon is either in the spring or the fall. The weather is (usually) mild. Because who would want to run a marathon in the freezing cold of January? The only problem with this is that to run a marathon you’ve got to train. And that involves running consistently for … Read more
This week, I saw a post on Reddit from a runner whose marathon didn’t go to plan. He had run a 1:31 half marathon in training, and he based his marathon goal – 3:10 – on that race result. Things went well for the first half, but the wheels came off in the second half … Read more
Yes, it’s absolutely normal. I saw a post about this today on one of the major running subreddits. The OP had just finished his first marathon about two weeks ago, and when he started running again he noticed his heart rate was a little higher at the same paces he used to run. He was … Read more
Fall marathons are great. When it’s time to race, the temperatures are cooling off. There’s only one problem. You need to train through the summer – when heat and humidity can make your life miserable. As much as you might not always like running in the summer – or the winter – weather, you will … Read more
Running a sub 3 hour marathon is a dream for many runners. It’s a lofty goal, and there’s something magical about the even ‘3 hour’ mark. 2:59 sound so much more impressive than 3:01 – as if you’ve broken through some barrier. But how hard is it to finish sub-3? You’ll find a wide range … Read more
Before you get started with marathon training, there’s a simple but important question that you should ask yourself: where should you run? It almost seems silly. I mean, you can run anywhere, right? Well, you can. But it helps to put some thought into planning your regular routes. The choices that you make about where … Read more
A common question among would be marathoners is: How much time does marathon training take? Before taking the plunge, casual runners may look at experienced marathoners and think, “Gee, they spend all their time training! I can’t do that!” True, marathon training is a commitment. Success relies on consistency, and that may mean making some … Read more
Heat and humidity are performance killers when it comes to long distance running. This holds especially true with an event like a marathon. So what do you do when race day gets close and the weather looks terrible? Do you cry and just stay in bed? No. Do you defer to another race? Possibly, if … Read more
I saw a post on r/AdvancedRunning recently, in which the OP asked, essentially, “When can I run after a marathon?” It’s a common question. Any race requires some recovery – and a marathon is a race unlike any other (except of course the even more demanding ultra-marathons). Perhaps because of the daunting nature of the … Read more
In r/AdvancedRunning this week, I saw a question related to Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. I’m a fan of JD, and so I often answer these types of questions to help other runners better understand his training philosophy. It’s a good question to use to more fully explain how Jack Daniels’ training philosophy works, so I … Read more