Thanks for clicking through and checking out my website.
I’m an avid runner and a data nerd. I write about running on this website, and my writing tends to fall into one of four buckets:
- Data analysis related to marathons and running
- Training methods and other running tips
- Rundown on Garmin running watches and other gear
- Reflections and experiences from my own running story
Use the form below to sign up for my weekly newsletter, which comes out every Sunday morning. Each week, I share a premium article that I publish on Medium, along with two or three other things from this website.
The Latest From My Instagram Feed
Instagram doesn’t let you share links to individual articles in your posts. So I’ve collected a running list below, with links to any posts or articles that I referenced on Instagram.
The posts are in reverse chronological order, so the most recent post will be at the top.
Race Report: 2025 Twin Cities Marathon
You can’t win ’em all. But you can stop on the course and chug a beer with two miles to go.
The weather at this year’s Twin Cities Marathon was hot, and I quickly realized it wasn’t going to be a good day to run fast. So I modified my expectations and gave myself permission to just enjoy it.
How I Renovated My Home Gym
I’ve renovated my home gym twice since I moved in to my house – the cheap way and the right way.
The cheap foam tiles from Amazon worked for a time, but the heavy rubber mats I just bought should be a better long term solution.
Here’s the story of how it’s changed over the years and the work I’ve done. Having a clean, useable gym in my home with a treadmill is critical for keeping me consistent as a runner.
How I Renovated My Home GymRead the details here.
2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Is Sold Out
The Memphis Marathon sold out on September 18, 2025 – several weeks earlier than it did last year.
This is just another example of races that are a) selling out more quickly and b) increasing capacity.
Revised Prediction for the 2026 Boston Marathon Cutoff Time
The BAA announced the number of applicants for the 2026 Boston Marathon: 33,267.
What does this mean for the cutoff time? It’s slightly lower than expected, so the cutoff time will also be slightly lower than expected.
Here’s a revised prediction that takes this new data into account.
2025 Columbus Marathon Is Sold Out
Photo courtesy of Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon
The Columbus Marathon is the one of the latest large fall races to sell out. It reached capacity on September 5, 2025.
This race was not a consistent sellout in the years leading up to COVID. But since the return to racing, it has continued to rebound. This year will be the largest field in Columbus in a decade.
2025 Indy Monumental Marathon is Sold Out
Photo by Jake Rytlewski / Courtesy of Beyond Monumental
The Indy Monumental Marathon joins a string of sold out races this year. It reached capacity on September 7, 2025.
After thirteen consecutive sellout years, that’s the first time the race filled up in September. Just another sign of the continued boom in running.
Final Prediction for the 2026 Boston Marathon Cutoff Time
What will the cutoff time for the 2026 Boston Marathon be?
After analyzing a ton of data and using two different methodologies to project the likely outcome, I’m confident that the cutoff time will fall in the range of 5:30 to 6:00. If I had to pick a specific time, I’d go with 5:47.
Read more about the prediction, the math, and the data here.
What’s the Average Marathon Time In 2024?
What’s the average finish time for a marathon?
That depends a lot on two things – age and gender.
I could tell you the overall average – 4:25:33. But that’s not a very meaningful number, because finish times vary quite a bit by both age and gender.
So I took the data that I’ve collected on marathons in the United States in 2024 – over 400,000 individual results – and I calculated the average finish time for each age group.
I also calculated the interquartile range – the span that covers the middle 50% of all runners. What you might call the “average” or typical range of finish times.
Comparing the Abbott World Marathon Majors
I’ve written a five part series comparing the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
- Which race has the most balanced gender distribution? The least?
- Which race has the oldest runners? The youngest?
- Which race has the best, most consistent weather?
- Which race has the toughest – or easiest – course?
- Which race has the fastest finish times – among the elites and among the regular folks?
You’ll find answers to all of those questions in the series. Plus lots of in depth analysis and visuals.
The 2026 Boston Marathon Cutoff Time Tracker
Introducing my latest project: a dashboard tracking a projected cutoff time for the 2026 Boston Marathon.
I did a lot of work analyzing and predicting the cutoff time for 2025. This validated a basic assumption – if you track the number of runners who meet their qualifying times you can estimate the number who will eventually apply to run Boston.
That’s the key variable that drives what a likely cutoff time will be. This dashboard combines results from hundreds of races around the world to project the Boston Marathon cutoff time.
Are Marathons More Popular Than Ever In 2024?
Participation at marathons is clearly on the rise. Races like New York City and Chicago are setting records for the numbers of participants.
But how broad is that trend? It turns out it’s across the board.
When you look at the ten largest races in the United States, they have more combined finishers than ever before. But all the way down to small races with a few hundred finishers, there’s growth year over year.
An Overview of the Garmin Instinct 3 – Solar, AMOLED, and E
Garmin dropped the details on its latest watches – the Instinct 3 – this week.
What’s new and what’s missing? Here’s a quick look at the three options – the Instinct 3 Solar, AMOLED, and E – and a preliminary comparison to other Garmins.
What are your thoughts on the AMOLED screen coming to the Instinct line?
How Many Miles Do Running Shoes Really Last?
Think you need to replace your running shoes after 300 miles?
I just retired these New Balance 1080’s after six months. In that time, they’ve probably seen well over 1,000 miles.
Are they a little worse for wear? Sure. The tread is worn down and the uppers are a little beat up. But they’re still comfortable and they get the job done.
I run ~3,500 miles a year, and I typically go through two main pairs of daily trainers. Some of those miles are on the trails (with trail shoes that I replace every 6-9 months), and a few are in racing shoes. But each of these main pairs will easily see 800 to 1,000 miles before they get retired.
Contrary to what the internet would have you believe, these old shoes haven’t caused any injuries. My legs, knees, and feet are fine.
But if I replaced my shoes every 300 miles … my wallet would sure be broke.
Record Number of Sub-3:00 Finishers at the Valencia Marathon?
The Valencia Marathon had over 5,000 sub-3:00 finishers this year. That certainly sounds like a lot.
Was it a record setting field of finishers? I compared the results to other large, fast races – Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and Tokyo – to find out.
And how does it compare when you look at faster times – like sub-2:45 and sub-2:30?