Ask Coach Katelyn

Hi Darla!

First of all, congratulations on your recent 10K and your 4:02 marathon! Those are fantastic results, especially finishing your marathon feeling strong!

If your last marathon was right around 4 hours, have you thought about going for a sub-4 at Boston? Of course, your goal of finishing strong and feeling good is the priority, but it could be a fun goal to work toward! We actually have a sub-4-hour training plan (https://marathonhandbook.com/4-hour-marathon-pace/) on the Marathon Handbook website that could be a great starting point.

The biggest thing I'd recommend specifically for Boston is incorporating plenty of rolling hills into your long runs. Boston is a challenging course with lots of ups and downs, so preparing your legs for both the climbs and the downhills is really important. Also adding strength training in a couple times a week is a necessity to develop muscle endurance and strength of the course.

I'd also encourage you to focus more on running by effort (RPE) rather than trying to hit exact paces, especially on hilly terrain. Your pace will naturally fluctuate depending on the elevation, and learning to maintain a consistent effort will be incredibly helpful on race day.

With your recent results and a smart, consistent training block, I think you're in a great position to have a strong Boston Marathon! How exciting!!

Hi! Congrats on your previous BQ and your 3:35 marathon! It's great to hear you've kept injuries at bay by adjusting your training.

I think 3:30 could be a realistic goal with 3.5 months to prepare, but it will depend on your current running fitness and how well your body handles the training progression.

A great way to assess where you stand would be to run a 5K or 10K time trial. As a general benchmark, I'd look for approximately 22:00 for 5K or 45:00 for 10K to indicate that you're moving toward the fitness needed for a 3:30 marathon. These aren't guarantees, of course, since marathon performance depends heavily on endurance, fueling, and race-day execution, but they'll give us a useful starting point.

One thing I'd be careful about is that although you're doing a great amount of overall aerobic training, walking and cycling don't provide quite the same running-specific adaptations as running. I'd gradually work toward increasing your actual running volume, if your body tolerates it, rather than making any sudden jumps. Given your injury history, consistency will matter more than chasing a particular weekly mileage number.

If you need to keep more cross-training in your schedule to stay healthy, I'd also consider swapping some of your walking or cycling sessions for the elliptical. It's one of my favorite cross-training options for runners because it closely mimics the running motion and allows you to build aerobic fitness with significantly less impact. You can even incorporate structured workouts on the elliptical to supplement your running without adding more pounding to your legs.

For your training, I'd focus on building your running endurance gradually, incorporating one quality workout per week (alternating between threshold work and marathon-specific efforts), and progressively extending your long runs. I'd also keep your two strength sessions, as long as you're recovering well.

Most importantly, with your history of recurrent injuries, I wouldn't sacrifice staying healthy just to hit a specific time. If your time trials and longer workouts suggest 3:30 is within reach, fantastic! If not, there's absolutely nothing wrong with adjusting your goal.

Wishing you the very best with your training!!

Hi!

First of all, congratulations on some incredible progress over the years! Going from a 4:30+ marathon to sub-3 is a huge accomplishment, and coming within 20 seconds of 2:55 at Boston is seriously impressive!

I completely understand the temptation to go after that goal again, especially when you know you're capable of it and the weather didn't cooperate in Chicago. But I'm going to give you my conservative coaching perspective here: I really wouldn't recommend turning NYC into what we call a revenge race.

You gave Chicago your all, and your body needs at least three weeks just to recover from that marathon effort, if not longer. Even if you're feeling good on the outside, there's still a lot of muscular damage and accumulated fatigue that takes time to resolve.

Plus, NYC is a challenging, hilly course! Even with perfect weather, it's not exactly the ideal place to chase a PR, especially just three weeks after another all-out marathon.

My concern is that pushing for sub-2:55 so soon could increase your risk of injury or leave you even more discouraged if things don't go according to plan. And I would hate for that to happen after all the hard work you've put in!

My advice would be to stick with your original plan for NYC, keep it easy, enjoy the experience, and save that sub-2:55 attempt for another marathon further down the road. Give yourself time to properly recover, rebuild, and line up feeling fresh and ready to race.

I know that's probably not the exciting answer you were hoping for, haha! But you've already proven you're right there. You don't need to rush another attempt to prove anything. That sub-2:55 is absolutely worth chasing, just not at the expense of your health or long-term progress!

Hi Giles!! First of all, thank you so much for your message and for following along with the podcast! And congratulations on completing your marathon!! Running your first marathon at 60 is an incredible accomplishment!

I always tell my athletes that your first marathon shouldn't be about chasing a time goal. It should be about finishing healthy, strong, and enjoying the experience! You've now accomplished that, gained invaluable experience, and can focus on chasing that sub-4 goal next year!

As for what happened during your race, my suspicion is a combination of muscular fatigue, reduced running economy, and the warmer conditions.
The fact that your cadence remained consistent while your stride length shortened suggests that your legs were no longer able to produce the same force with each step as fatigue accumulated. Do you currently incorporate strength training into your routine?

The heat and humidity likely played a significant role as well, especially if you'd trained in cooler conditions. Even with a relatively controlled heart rate, the additional stress of regulating body temperature can accelerate fatigue.

For your next training block, I'd focus on improving marathon-specific durability. Here are my recommendations:
1. Gradually increase your weekly mileage, if your schedule and recovery allow. Consistency is more important than hitting a huge peak week.
2. Strength train twice per week, focusing on your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. This can help improve running economy and maintain your mechanics when fatigue sets in.
3. Incorporate marathon-pace work into some of your long runs. For example, a 24–28K run a few of 2-3k blocks at marathon pace, ideally toward the end of the run. You could also do fast-finish long runs.
4. Continue speed and threshold training, but keep your easy runs truly easy! We want to improve your fitness without accumulating unnecessary fatigue.
5. Practice your fueling and hydration. Aim to gradually build toward 60–90g of carbohydrates per hour during long runs, depending on your tolerance.

I'd also love to know what your average weekly mileage was during your last training block, how many long runs you completed, and what your fueling strategy looked like on race day. Those details could help us identify where there's the most room for improvement.

And remember, following a similar training plan doesn't mean you'll get the same result! You're going into this next cycle with another year of experience, a stronger foundation, and a much better understanding of the marathon distance.

Most importantly, please don't feel like you're running out of time! Recovery may require a little more attention as we get older, but that certainly doesn't mean we can't continue improving. I absolutely wouldn't give up on that sub-4 dream. I also love that you're running for MIND this year. What a wonderful cause to support!

Keep up the great work, and I'll be cheering you on as you chase that sub-4!!

Hi!! First of all, thank you so much for listening to the podcast and for your kind words! And congratulations on getting back into running, building up your fitness, and running a 3-minute half marathon PR!! That's a lot to be proud of! Also, please don't let that race discourage you. Warmer temperatures and a headwind can make quite a difference, especially in the later miles of a half. The fact that you still managed a PR under those conditions tells me you're making great progress!

As for your question, my recommendation would be to focus on building speed before jumping into your next half marathon training block. This is something that has worked really well for me personally and for many of the athletes I coach! Since you're targeting another half marathon in April, you have a great opportunity to spend 6–8 weeks focusing on 5K training before transitioning into your half marathon-specific block.

The idea is to improve your top-end speed and running economy first, essentially raising your speed ceiling, so that when you return to longer threshold workouts and half marathon pace efforts, those paces feel more comfortable and sustainable. During this 5K-focused block, I'd incorporate workouts like 400 and 800 meter repeats at 5k pace with jog recoveries, you could also do hill repeats, like 20–30 seconds uphill hard, focusing on power and good running form, with full recovery, and also strides.

I wouldn't neglect your aerobic base during this period, though! You already have a solid foundation. I'd focus on maintaining consistent, manageable mileage and a comfortable weekly long run rather than aggressively increasing volume right now. Then, when you transition into your half marathon block, you can shift the focus toward raising your ability to sustain those faster paces over longer distances through threshold intervals, longer tempo runs, and half marathon-specific workouts.

Keep up the amazing work, and thank you again for being part of our podcast community!!

Hi Jeff!

First of all, I love how methodical you've been with your training. Using checkpoint races throughout the year is exactly what I'd recommend because it gives you objective feedback on whether you're progressing toward your marathon goal.

Now, looking at your results, here's what stands out:

Your 10-mile races and your recent 10K actually predict a marathon of around 3:43.
That's quite a bit faster than your goal of 3:50.

So the first thing I'd say is: don't panic because of a couple of summer races. The heat and humidity absolutely affect performance, and when I look at the bigger picture, your fitness is still pointing well ahead of where you need to be.

The second thing is your threshold pace.
You mentioned you've been training around 7:51 per mile.
Interestingly, if I plug your race performances into my calculations, your threshold pace actually comes out to about 7:58 per mile.
So if anything, you've been training slightly faster than what your current fitness suggests, not slower.

And this is where I think a lot of runners get into trouble. They think, "Well, if I want to run faster, I should train faster." But threshold training only works if you're actually training at threshold.

Once you start pushing beyond that and creeping into the next zone, closer to VO2 max, you completely change the purpose of the workout. Instead of building your ability to clear and recycle lactate, you're creating much more fatigue, needing more recovery, and often accumulating less quality work overall.

I'd much rather see you run more minutes of excellent threshold work at the correct intensity than less that's just a little too hard.

The other thing I noticed is your predicted marathon pace.
Based on your current fitness, your marathon pace is about 8:30 per mile, which is right in line with a 3:43 marathon, comfortably ahead of your 3:50 goal.

So from a coaching perspective, I wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't speed up your threshold and I wouldn't slow it down because of two hot races.

I'd keep following the plan, continue using your current threshold range, adjust by effort when it's especially hot and humid, and let your September half marathon be the next big fitness check.

Because right now, all of your data is telling me the same thing that you're testing faster than your goal.

Good luck and please let me know how it goes!

Hi Ian! 



First of all, congrats on Golden 60K!! That’s a great way to wrap up your ultra season.

I actually really like your thinking for the winter season. It’s something I did not too long ago and it really helped my overall speed for future ultras.

If you don’t have another ultra until next summer, this is a great opportunity to temporarily shift the focus away from ultra-specific endurance and work on some of the things that can ultimately make you a faster ultra runner like speed, running economy, threshold, and strength.

I wouldn’t spend November through April doing one long “speed block,” though. I’d break it into phases. First, give yourself a proper recovery period after Golden.

Then I’d spend roughly 6 weeks building general strength and reintroducing faster running, with strides, short hills and relatively short intervals (track work) while maintaining your aerobic base.

From there, I’d do a more focused 5K/10K-style block for 8–10 weeks, with one faster interval/VO2-type session and one threshold session most weeks, plus an easy long run. This could be a really fun time to jump into a local 5K or 10K even if it isn’t an “A” race. Having a couple of shorter races gives you something to aim for and lets you see how the speed work is improving your fitness.

Then, as you get closer to spring, I’d start shifting the emphasis back toward endurance: keep some of that speed with strides/intervals, but gradually lengthen the long runs, introduce more sustained threshold work, and eventually start adding climbing and trail-specific strength back in as conditions allow. That way you’re not starting from scratch when you are ready to get back to the mountains.

If you listen to the pod, you probably already know I am a huge believer in strength training. If you’ve mostly neglected it until now, I’d start with two sessions per week. Exercises like lunges, split squats, deadlifts, unilateral work, steps ups, glute bridges, calf raises, planks, pull ups and push ups can be a good place to start.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Hi Courtney! I am so sorry! I’m just seeing this message now! For some reason, I didn’t get an alert that you had sent it. I hope I’m not too late, and I hope the Donor Games went really well!

The good news is that having your longest run two weeks before Chicago is absolutely okay. In fact, plenty of runners schedule their peak long run two weeks out from a marathon, so I’m not concerned about that timing. Given the Donor Games, I’d much rather you move the long run than try to cram it in while your body is still recovering from the competition.

The biggest thing now is making sure you’ve recovered well from the Games. The max bench press isn’t something I’m particularly concerned about from a running standpoint, but the two CrossFit-style events could have created quite a bit of muscular fatigue and soreness, especially if they involved squats, lunges, jumps, deadlifts, etc. Give yourself the recovery you need and don’t force the long run simply because it’s on the schedule.

Assuming your legs are feeling recovered and you’re moving normally, you can do your final long run two weeks out from the marathon and then begin your taper. I would keep that run controlled rather than turning it into a big speed workout. The fitness is already there from your marathon build. You’re not trying to squeeze in one last huge fitness gain at this point.

After that, the priority is absorbing all of the work you’ve done and arriving at Chicago with fresh legs. So I wouldn’t worry about the timing at all. Recover from the Donor Games, get that final long run in when your body is ready, and then enjoy the taper!

And again, I hope the Games went great!! Poor timing perhaps, but it sounds like a really cool event!

Hi Scott!

Yes, I do think this is a realistic goal, and I really like the progression you have planned. Having the shorter trail races throughout the build will be especially helpful because they'll give her opportunities to practice everything from fueling and hydration to pacing, run/walk strategy, and simply becoming more comfortable and efficient moving over trails before the 50K.

My biggest focus would be consistency and gradually building durability, rather than worrying about a certain pace or trying to run the entire 50K. Three days of running plus two strength sessions is a great place to start, and run/walk intervals are absolutely appropriate for both training and race day. In fact, for a trail 50K, I would encourage her to practice hiking the steeper climbs from the beginning rather than waiting until she's exhausted to start walking them.

The Houston terrain does make preparing for the elevation a little trickier, but there are definitely ways around it! If she has access to a treadmill, incline hiking is probably the easiest solution. She can gradually incorporate sustained uphill walking at different grades into her training. Bridges, parking garages, stadium stairs, or any small hills you can find can also be useful. I would also take a good look at the 50K's elevation profile so you know the length and steepness of the climbs she's actually preparing for. That can help you make her treadmill sessions much more race-specific as the event gets closer.

The downhills may actually be the bigger challenge to prepare for in Houston. Everyone worries about having enough climbing fitness, but repeated descents create a tremendous amount of eccentric loading, particularly through the quads. Essentially, the muscles are lengthening while producing force as they control and absorb the impact of each downhill step. The quads take the brunt of this, but the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and muscles around the hips and ankles are all involved. That's why someone can have plenty of aerobic fitness and still end up with completely trashed legs late in a hilly ultra!

Because she'll have limited opportunities to practice actual descending, I think her two weekly strength sessions will be indispensable. I'd include exercises that emphasize slow, controlled eccentric loading: step-downs from a box, reverse lunges, split squats/Bulgarian split squats, and slow eccentric calf raises.

For example, with a step-down, she can take 3–4 seconds to slowly lower herself toward the floor before stepping back up. The same idea can be applied to squats and split squats. Control the lowering phase rather than simply dropping into the movement. That won't perfectly replicate running down a technical trail for miles, but it can build a lot of the muscular strength and resilience she'll need.

If she has access to a treadmill with a negative incline, that's another tool. Some treadmills will go down to around -3%. Still, nothing completely replaces the real thing. If it's feasible to occasionally escape Houston and get onto genuinely hilly trails, particularly later in the build, I'd take advantage of those opportunities.

For the run/walk strategy, I wouldn't get too attached to an exact interval such as 9:1 or 4:1 for this particular race. I'd let the terrain dictate the strategy. She can run the flats and runnable downhills, potentially run the gentler climbs, and power hike the steeper climbs. During training, she can experiment with where that transition makes sense for her: at what incline does running become inefficient enough that a strong power hike produces a similar pace for considerably less effort? That's something she can practice really well on the treadmill. By race day, she should already know which grades she's comfortable running and which ones she's better off hiking.

Keep me posted on how the journey goes!

Hi Derek!

Yes, you're right, the timing isn’t ideal, but I understand wanting to do your hometown race, especially when it’s an event you enjoy and are involved with! And choosing the half rather than the full definitely makes it much easier to work into the plan.

Since Chicago is the A race, though, I definitely wouldn't race Boulderthon all-out. At this point, you’re not trying to squeeze in any major new fitness, but you want one last solid marathon-specific stimulus without creating a bunch of fatigue or muscle damage that you would then need to recover from.

I actually think you can treat Boulderthon almost like a structured long-run workout rather than a race. You could put a couple of long, controlled marathon-effort blocks into it, similar to what you might normally do within a long run.

For example, you could do something along the lines of 3K easy, 5-7K at marathon effort, back off for a couple of kilometers, then another 5-7K at marathon effort, with a cool-down at the end. You can decide on the exact structure based on how you're feeling that week and what you are used to doing in your training. You'll be substituting some of that longer mileage for intensity.

Boulderthon can be a fun day and a useful training day. You just don't want it becoming race day. Chicago gets that! Good luck!

Hi Amanda,

You are so sweet. I’m glad we make you laugh!

I love this question, and yes, I definitely think you can continue improving!

I think the biggest question is how much you want to prioritize running versus tennis. If getting significantly faster in the half and marathon is really the goal, I would consider taking a season where running gets to be the priority. Playing tennis three or four times a week is a pretty substantial training load, especially with all the stopping, starting, and lateral movement. If we simply pile more running on top of that, that's where I worry about you falling back into that cycle you mentioned of doing too much, getting injured, and having to start over.

So after Chicago and a good recovery, I might actually focus on the half marathon first and work on your speed. Maybe for one training block, cut tennis down to once a week. That would give you room to make the running more specific and potentially add a second quality session without just adding more total stress. You could have a threshold-focused workout, another faster session, your long run, easy mileage, and continue your strength training.

Then, once you've built some more speed at the shorter distances, you can take that fitness into another marathon cycle.

And I think the biggest thing for you is consistency. At this stage, improvement probably isn't going to come from cramming more and more into every week. It's going to come from stacking healthy training block after healthy training block. You may just have to decide that for one season, tennis takes a little bit of a back seat so you can find out what you're capable of when running gets to be the main event.

You don't have to break up with tennis. 😂 Maybe you two just need to see other people for a little while!

We will definitely see you in Chicago! I hope to meet you at our shake out run!

Hi!!

I’d keep the strength training going for now. You’ve been consistent with it throughout the block, so there’s no reason to suddenly pull it out with four weeks to go.

Generally, I like to stop the heavier strength work about 10–14 days before race day. Everyone recovers a little differently, but at that point, you’re not going to gain much additional strength before the race. The priority becomes reducing fatigue and making sure your legs feel fresh and snappy!!

You can still do some light mobility, activation, and core work the week before. I’d just avoid anything heavy or anything that could leave you sore leading up to the race.

So keep doing what you’re doing for another couple of weeks, then taper the strength along with the running. And good luck with that sub-1:35!

Hi Argi!
It is so exciting that you are running your first marathon in almost 20 years! It's great that you are training specifically for the race by training on hills, since you don't want any surprises or extra challenges on race day.
The week to ten days before the race, I like to cut out anything from my training that could fatigue me or make me sore, like strength training or intense speed work. Hill work would also work into that camp for me. I wouldn't want any hillwork to tire you out before race day after the hard work you have been putting into your prep. I would take the week before to get in some short easy runs, and perhaps some strides at the beginning of the week. After that, make sure you hydrate, fuel, and get plenty of sleep in the few days leading up to the race.
Good luck, and please let me know how it goes!

Hi Lia!

Great question!! Since this half falls on the first of your three 20-mile long runs and you’re still 10 weeks out from CIM, I actually think this is a good opportunity to race the half rather than trying to force both workouts into the same day.

I wouldn't recommend racing the half and then adding enough warm-up/cooldown mileage to reach 20 miles. You're right that it wouldn't provide quite the same stimulus as the sustained 20-mile run, and more importantly, we'd be turning it into a very big quality day that could require substantially more recovery.

Instead, I'd look at this week as trading some volume for intensity. You still have two 20-milers later in the plan, along with plenty of marathon-specific work, so I’d be comfortable sacrificing this first one.

I'd also adjust the days leading into the race. In particular, I'd take out the 6 miles at lactate threshold on Friday and make that an easy run. Saturday could be a very short shakeout with a few strides or a rest day, depending on what usually works best for you.

Then on Sunday, I'd do a normal short warm-up, race the half as a half marathon, cool down briefly, and call it a day. No need to chase 20 miles!

The half will give you a great quality stimulus and also a useful fitness check 10 weeks out from CIM. Then you’ll recover, get back into the plan, and use those remaining 20-milers for the marathon-specific endurance work you need.

I think this is one of those situations where trying to check every box in the plan would actually be less productive than deliberately changing the stimulus for that week.

I hope you can join me for a shakeout run in CIM! I’ll be there as well : )

Hi Bryan!

First of all, congratulations on being just five weeks away from your first marathon, and on everything it took to get you here. Running Chicago for Team Diabetes after what you've been through over the last two years makes this one pretty special!

And I actually think your shoe question has a simpler answer than it probably feels like right now: if the carbon-plated shoes consistently irritate your foot and your non-plated shoes give you ZERO problems, I would choose the comfortable non-plated shoe.

Especially five weeks out, I wouldn't keep trying to force a super shoe to work because of what it might give you on race day. Yes, one of the advantages of modern super shoes is improved running economy, and that can absolutely be helpful over a marathon. But that benefit isn't worth much if the shoe is aggravating your foot and potentially compromising your training, or becomes increasingly painful at mile 18 on race day.

You've also done exactly the right thing by having the foot evaluated. Since your orthopedist has ruled out a suspected stress fracture and cleared you to continue training to your comfort level, I would continue following their guidance and keep monitoring how the foot responds. If symptoms worsen, change, or start appearing in shoes that currently feel fine, I'd check back in rather than trying to push through it.

Of the shoes you already own, I wouldn't choose based on which one looks fastest on paper. I'd choose based on which non-plated option has been the most comfortable and predictable during your longer runs and at marathon effort. If that's the Superblast, Megablast (I LOVE the Megablast), or Cloudmonster Hyper, great! You absolutely do NOT need a carbon plate to run a great marathon.

And I wouldn't introduce a bunch of additional shoe experiments over these final five weeks. You've got some important training left, and this is the time to start reducing variables rather than adding them. Pick the shoe your foot seems happiest in, get a couple of longer runs and/or marathon-pace work in it, make sure you know which socks work with it, and build confidence in that setup.

I'd also reframe what “performing well” means here. The biggest determinants of your marathon are going to be things like pacing appropriately, fueling consistently, managing your effort, and arriving at the start line healthy. The marginal benefit you might get from a carbon plate is way down the list compared with those things.

And perhaps most importantly, your first marathon is not the day to sacrifice comfort for a theoretical performance advantage. You want to be standing at the start line thinking, “I know this shoe works for me,” rather than wondering when your foot is going to start hurting.

You've already accomplished something much bigger than choosing the perfect race shoe. Now let's get you to that Chicago start line healthy, enjoy your first 26.2, and see what you can do! Let me know how it goes!

Hi!
I completely understand this one. I’ve had some absolutely terrible races after spending months and months training for them. My Boston Marathon in 2025 is a perfect example—I had trained for six months, I felt prepared, I controlled all the controllables…and I just had a really bad day. I was devastated afterward.

And I think that’s actually an important part of getting over it: give yourself permission to grieve the race you wanted to have. I think grieve is the word I’d use here. It might sound dramatic because we're talking about a race, but you invested months of time, energy, hope, and expectations into something that mattered to you. You don't have to immediately brush it off, pretend you're fine, or convince yourself it was secretly a great race. You're allowed to be frustrated and to wish it had gone differently.

Then, once you've had some time, try to separate the race result from the training that got you there. One bad race doesn't erase months of great workouts or suddenly make you less fit. Sometimes you can do everything right and race day still doesn't cooperate. Flat legs happen. Stomach issues happen. Weather happens. Earlier this year, I raced through a rainstorm with a relentless headwind the entire way. There was nothing I could do about it except adjust my expectations and keep going.

That's part of the deal we make when we race. We control everything we possibly can, knowing there will always be a few things we can't. That's what makes those magical race days when everything does come together so special.

Eventually, I try to come back to gratitude, too. I get to run. I get to train. And I get another shot. There will be another starting line, another training block, and another opportunity to see what all that fitness can do.

So don't force yourself to “get over it” today. Let yourself grieve this one a little. Take whatever lessons you can from it, remember that the fitness you built is still yours, and then, when you're ready, pick the next starting line.

What an amazing response! Thanks for taking the time to help put it into perspective for me. Truly helpful, thank you! ❤️

Hi Mike!

Sorry for the delayed response! We were covering Sydney last week and I am just catching up now

I think you do have an ambitious goal, but based on your progression so far, you’ve definitely given yourself a really exciting starting point. Going from primarily 5K/10K racing to a 1:26 half and then already breaking 1:25 shows you have some great speed to work with.

I’m not sure what your Boston qualifying time is since that will depend on your age on race day, and of course, simply hitting the qualifying standard doesn’t necessarily guarantee entry, you generally want a healthy buffer under that standard. But just as a reference point, your current half marathon time predicts roughly a 2:57:28 marathon. Now, a calculator prediction and actually running that time for your first marathon are two very different things, especially because you’re still developing the endurance and marathon-specific experience to match your shorter-distance speed, but it shows there’s a lot of potential there.

I really like your approach of using Niagara Falls on October 25 as your first experience with the marathon. You’ll learn a ton about how your body handles 42.2K, pacing, fueling, muscular endurance, and those final 10–12K. Then you can take those lessons forward rather than putting too much pressure on the first one.

The one thing I would flag is that the turnaround from Niagara to Mesa on February 13 isn't ideal for a full second marathon build. You have just under 16 weeks between the two races, but you’ll want to spend approximately 3–4 weeks properly recovering and rebuilding after Niagara, particularly because it’s your first marathon. Then you’ll also want a few weeks to taper before Mesa. That really only leaves you with roughly 6–8 weeks of solid training in the middle, rather than another complete marathon cycle.

That doesn't mean Mesa can't work. You’ll already have the fitness and aerobic base from Niagara, so we wouldn't be starting from scratch. But I’d look at Mesa more as a continuation of this overall training cycle: recover from Niagara, rebuild, address whatever Niagara tells us needs work, get in a focused block of quality training, and then taper again. How aggressively you race Mesa should also depend on how well you recover from Niagara.

As for training through a Canadian winter, I’d absolutely use a combination of outdoor running and treadmill running. Alex and Michael deal with this all the time. They tend to keep their easier runs outside when conditions are safe, while moving the harder workouts onto the treadmill when snow, ice, or poor footing would make hitting faster paces difficult or unsafe. I think that’s a great approach.

The treadmill can be fantastic for threshold work, marathon-pace sessions, intervals, etc., because you can control the pace and effort without worrying about slipping on ice or battling terrible footing. For your long runs, I’d try to do a good portion outside when conditions allow, especially as Mesa gets closer, but safety always comes first.

And with Boston as the bigger goal, you have time, which is important! I wouldn’t feel like you need to force the BQ attempt at either of these first two marathons. Think of Niagara as gathering experience, Mesa as an opportunity to apply what you learned and potentially take another step forward, and then we can decide what your next training cycle needs to look like.
Given the speed you already have at the half, I’d be really interested to see what happens once you develop the marathon-specific endurance to go with it!

Hi Nathan! You weren’t too late. We did get to your question, and our full answer will be on the podcast tomorrow! 

And I completely understand the hesitation to drop the strength work, especially after how much it has helped you manage your calf, Achilles, and PHT issues.

That said, I actually wouldn’t do any real strength training during race week. The strength work has already done its job, and there’s nothing meaningful to gain from a heavy session that close to Sydney. At this point, I’d rather remove as much residual fatigue as possible and let you finally experience running on fresh legs!

Stick with mobility and your normal activation work, and if you really feel like you need some strength work for confidence, you could do a few very easy bodyweight movements early in the week, but nothing heavy, nothing close to failure, and definitely nothing that could leave you sore.

You’ve done plenty of long runs on tired legs. Now we want to see what those strong legs can do when they’re actually rested!
Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Hi Bobby!

I actually think Shamrock could fit really well into your long-term plan. There are about 21 weeks between Marine Corps on October 25 and Shamrock on March 21, which gives you more breathing room than it might initially seem.

I’m generally comfortable with two marathons per year for most runners who recover well. In your case, I’d take roughly 3–4 weeks after Marine Corps to properly recover and gradually return to normal running. That still leaves you around 17 weeks until Shamrock which is plenty of time to rebuild and complete a solid marathon-specific block without rushing straight back into hard training.

I actually think racing twice a year could be really beneficial for your goals. Although you’re 48, your running age is still very young, so you likely have a lot of development ahead of you. Every marathon cycle gives you another opportunity to build aerobic strength and durability, but it also gives you experience. You’ll learn more about what mileage works for you, how you respond to marathon-pace training, fueling, pacing, tapering, and what those final 10K really feel like. All of that matters when you're chasing a BQ and eventually sub-3.

I also wouldn't spend the entire year marathon training. After Shamrock, I’d recover and then spend some time working on 5K/10K/half-marathon speed and threshold, which can raise your overall fitness ceiling before you eventually return to another marathon block for the fall. 

So I’d keep Marine Corps as the only focus right now, see what you run and, equally importantly, what you learn from it. Then recover fully and reassess. If you're healthy and feeling good after those first few weeks, I see no reason why Shamrock couldn't be your next goal.

And I love the long-term targets. BQ first, then start chipping away toward sub-3. We actually share that sub-3 goal! With your relatively short history of structured training, consistency and experience are going to be two of your biggest assets over the next several years.

Hi Jane!

First of all, congrats on that 3:33 in London! Awesome work!

With Berlin being just two weeks later, and especially after having three weeks out with the ankle injury, I wouldn’t race the half all-out. At this point, you’re not going to gain much additional fitness from racing it hard, but you could create fatigue, soreness, or potentially irritate the ankle right before your A race.

Instead, I’d use the Great North Run as your final marathon dress rehearsal. You could run the first 3–4 miles easy, then 7–8 miles around your planned Berlin marathon effort (or break it up into shorter intervals), and finish the last mile or two easy. Practice your Berlin shoes, fueling, hydration, breakfast, and kit and make it a really controlled confidence-building session.

The goal should be to finish thinking, “I could have kept going or raced that final 5K if I wanted to.” Then, you have two more weeks to taper really well for Berlin!

As for beating your husband and kids... I’m afraid the family championship may have to wait until after Berlin. 😂 Save that competitive energy for your marathon!

Good luck and please let me know how it goes!

Hi Lia!

Thank you so much! 😊 And yes—that's another vote counted! I will definitely have to host a shakeout run at CIM. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone in person before the race. Hopefully we'll get a great group together!

As for your questions:

1. Sports bras & chafing
As a fellow heavy sweater, I completely understand the struggle! My favorite sports bra is actually a very lightweight Nike sports bra that fits snugly without feeling restrictive. I've found that a good fit is just as important as the fabric. It’s similar to this one: https://www.nike.com/t/swift-womens-high-support-lightly-lined-sports-bra-dyvwqtK3

And yes—I absolutely use diaper cream under my sports bra, not just on my feet! It has made a huge difference for me. If I remember to apply it before a run, I almost never chafe. If I forget... I almost always do, even with a well-fitting sports bra. I use Desitin, but I’m sure any zinc oxide diaper cream works well. I just apply a thin layer anywhere I know tends to rub before longer or hotter runs.

2. Coaching
At the moment, my 1:1 coaching roster is full, so I'm not taking on any new virtual athletes right now.
However, I'd be more than happy to add you to my waiting list if you're interested! As athletes finish race cycles and spots open up, I always reach out to people on the waitlist first.

Feel free to send me an email at katelyn@marathonhandbook.com, and I'll make sure you're added.

Looking forward to meeting you at CIM! 😊🏃‍♀️

Hi Malcolm!

First off, welcome to Run Club! It's great to have you here, and those are fantastic times! Especially chasing sub-50 for the 10K and 84 minutes for 10 miles at 73. That's seriously impressive!

I can definitely relate to what you're describing because I almost always end up with a stomachache after really hard races or maximal workouts. I've experimented with fueling, timing meals, and hydration over the years, but I've never completely eliminated that feeling afterward. It seems that for some runners, pushing right to the limit just diverts so much blood away from the digestive system that the stomach lets you know it's not happy once you stop.

Since it only happens in races and not during tempo runs or speed workouts, I wonder if it's partly the extra intensity and adrenaline that comes with racing.

Unfortunately, I don't have a magic solution, but I'd recommend looking into resources from a sports nutritionist. You can discuss strategies around hydration, pre-race nutrition, and recovery that may help reduce the likelihood or severity of post-race nausea.

I'd also be curious whether anyone else in Run Club has experienced this and found something that works. It would make for a great discussion because I know you're definitely not alone!

Good luck with your fall races, and keep me posted on how that sub-50 attempt goes!

Hi Jeff!

First of all...a 2:26 marathon PR?! That's amazing!! I know it was a while ago, but that's still a lifetime achievement most runners can only dream of!

As for your question, I'd actually schedule that 12-mile long run about two weeks before race day, rather than one week out, although I know I’m a pretty conservative coach.

What I feel is that you're not going to gain any additional fitness from a 12-mile run in the final week before a half marathon. What you can gain is extra fatigue that lingers into race day.

I'd rather have you arrive at the start line feeling fresh than trying to squeeze in one last confidence-building long run. The hard work is already done!

After that long run I'd begin tapering the volume while keeping a little bit of quality in the schedule. One thing I think runners sometimes misunderstand is that tapering doesn't mean stopping all intensity. I'd still include some short race-pace efforts or a few threshold intervals during the final two weeks to keep the legs feeling sharp. We reduce the mileage, but we keep reminding the body how to run efficiently.

And one last point, especially as we get older: recovery becomes one of our biggest performance tools. You're not trying to build fitness in those last two weeks because you've already done that. You're simply trying to arrive at the start line with fresh legs that are ready to show the fitness you've built.

Best of luck at the race! I hope you'll let us know how it goes!

Hi Robert! First of all, congratulations! That's an incredible achievement. Running your first marathon at 71 in 4:06 and qualifying for Boston is something to be really proud of!

Since you're already so close to breaking four hours, I would lean toward the 16-week plan. You already have a solid aerobic base and, most importantly, a marathon under your belt, so you don't need to start from scratch with another 20-week build.

Since you found the peak weeks of the 20-week plan pretty gruelling, I'd use the extra month beforehand simply to maintain consistent mileage, strength training, and a weekly long run before transitioning into the more focused 16-week Boston build.

As for Boston itself, we actually have a whole guide on how to race the course, covering everything from pacing the early downhills to managing the Newton Hills and tackling Heartbreak Hill. I'd definitely recommend checking that out as you get closer to race day. Here’s the link: https://marathonhandbook.com/boston-marathon-mile-by-mile-race-plan/

I may be a little biased because I'm from Boston—Newton, in fact, home to the famous Heartbreak Hill! 😊 Boston is unlike any other marathon. The crowds, the history, the energy... it's such a special experience, especially as a first-time Boston qualifier. My biggest advice is to soak it all in and enjoy every mile. You'll remember the experience far longer than you'll remember your finish time.

And if I could give you just one racing tip, it would be the same advice our very own Amby Burfoot—the 1968 Boston Marathon champion—has shared for years: don't get sucked into the downhill start. It's incredibly easy to let the excitement, crowds, and net downhill opening miles pull you into a pace that's too fast. Those early miles feel effortless, but they come back to haunt runners when they hit the Newton Hills. Be patient, let people go early if they want to, save your quads, and you'll be passing runners over the final 10 miles.

That said, I absolutely think breaking four hours is within reach. You're only about six minutes away, and with another smart training cycle and the fitness you've already built, it's a very realistic goal.

Boston is a challenging course, but if you race it wisely, there's no reason you can't have a fantastic day.

Congratulations again, and welcome to the Boston Marathon family! I think you're going to have an unforgettable experience. 🦄

Hi Michael!

Great questions.

I’m so glad you have decided to use our plan!

1. Weekly mileage totals
Yes, the difference is from the warm-ups and cool-downs, which aren’t included in the individual workout distance because they can vary depending on the runner and the session. Check the guidance notes for each workout, as they’ll give you the recommended warm-up and cool-down ranges. Once those are added in, the weekly total should make much more sense.

2. Using the extra four weeks
Rather than stretching the 12-week plan into 16 weeks, I'd use those first four weeks as a 5K speed block before transitioning into the half marathon plan. I love doing a quick speed block before going into longer race training.

Since you're already running around 20 miles per week with some quality workouts, this is a great opportunity to focus on building speed, improving your running economy, and raising your VO2 max. You could:

* Run a short 5K-focused training block with one interval session (VO2 Max) and one strides or hill sprints workout to improve leg turnover and efficiency.
* Gradually increase your weekly mileage if you're recovering well.
* Keep your long run comfortable and build it progressively.

A 5K block is a fantastic way to build speed that will carry over into your half marathon training. By the time you start the 12-week plan, you'll be fitter, faster, and better prepared to handle the race-specific workouts.

Then I'd simply start the 12-week plan as written rather than stretching it out. The progression is designed to peak you at the right time, and going into it with a stronger speed base is likely to give you better results than trying to dilute the plan over 16 weeks.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Thank you for your response, that makes sense!

As a follow-up, my long runs are currently ~8 miles. The plan starts with long runs of 4 miles. Should I drop down when I start the plan, or keep the long run mileage up until the plan catches up? Thank you!

Hi Zach!

This is a great question, and I think you're actually the perfect example of why we talk so much about training based on current fitness rather than forcing goal pace.

The first thing I'd point out is that based on your 1:39 half marathon PR, your equivalent marathon prediction is around 3:26, so from a fitness standpoint, a 3:30 marathon is absolutely within reach. Of course, you still have to develop the endurance and execute the race well, but you're certainly not chasing an unrealistic goal.

The guidance notes in the plan are really intended as a starting checkpoint, not a rule that says you must be comfortably running 8:00/mile on day 1. They're there to help runners choose a plan that's appropriate for their current fitness.

Since you're training through a Texas summer for a January marathon, I definitely wouldn't force 8:00/mile if the conditions don't allow it. Heat and humidity can dramatically increase effort, so your paces will naturally be slower.

My advice would be:
* Run your easy runs by effort, not pace. (RPE 3-4)
* For quality workouts, don't be afraid to start closer to 8:15-8:30/mile if that's what matches the effort on that day. Try for the effort to be around an RPE of 5.
* As the weather cools and your fitness improves, gradually let those marathon pace workouts come down toward 8:00/mile, still staying close to a RPE of 5. This will happen organically as your fitness and weather improves.
* Consider running a 5K, 10K, or half marathon tune-up race during the build (when the fall kicks in and conditions are better). Those races are a great indicator of your current fitness and they allow you to adjust your training paces objectively.

Remember, marathon pace is something you grow into over the course of a training cycle. Very few runners begin a 16- or 18-week build already feeling comfortable at their goal marathon pace, especially if they're training through the summer.

So no, I wouldn't switch to a different plan. I'd stick with the 3:30 plan, train by effort where appropriate, adjust for the conditions, and let your workouts and tune-up races guide you as your fitness develops. I think you'll have a much clearer picture of your realistic race pace in the final 8 weeks of the build.