Last week was the final peak week of my prep for the Jersey City Marathon, and I can finally start easing up a bit. But this week, there was one final challenge – my last (long) long run. I’m starting the week off with a 20 miler before I taper off for next weekend’s tune … Read more
In the beginning, marathon training seems endless. The race is so far away. But slowly, it comes into picture. The majority of the plan is behind me, this week is the last big push. Once I make it through this week, I’m done with the worst of it and I can ease up for the … 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
This week’s training started on a high note – and ended on one. The middle, not so much. It was a good reminder of the ups and downs of marathon training. You keep piling on the miles and putting in the work, and some days are better than others. But in the long run, you’re … Read more
To use the calculator below, enter the runner’s age in years, select their gender, and enter their finish time in the format H:M:S (i.e. 3:45:42). The results will include: Continue reading below for some additional context. Note: The underlying tables are only calculated for runners up to age 79. This will not return useful data … 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
After a week away in Florida last week, I’m back to running at home in New Jersey. Although I thought winter was just about over, it returned for a few last cold days this week. I made it through, and hopefully cold weather running is behind me for this year. This was also the first … Read more
Last week, I took it easy following the Super Saturday Ten Miler in order to give myself some time to recover. This week, I got back to it with a few easy workouts to kick off the second phase of my marathon training. We were also traveling to visit family in south Florida. Luckily, the … Read more
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, here are the best books on marathon training that you should have on your bookshelf. When I first started running, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had spent some time running in high school, but otherwise I’d had no coaching and I hadn’t read up … Read more