Reflecting back upon the many years I’ve owned and managed marathontraining.com, I’m filled with gratitude and personal satisfaction for its success. What began in 1997 as a platform to provide training information to runners who were unable to attend “Team in Training” meetings has evolved into a website filled with free and comprehensive marathon training information for all to enjoy and utilize.
Thanks to its rich and relevant content along with an easy-to-remember URL, the site has consistently ranked at the top of search engine inquiries for “marathon training”. Words can’t describe how humbled and honored I am for all the success marathontraining.com has attained.
Tens of thousands of runners from around the world, young and old representing wide demographic backgrounds, have utilized marathontraining.com to achieve one common goal: to safely and successfully complete their marathons.
While many websites tease their visitors by providing free introductory information and then charging a fee to access the remainder of the content, it’s been a pleasure to provide my content at no charge.
No amount of money has given me the joy and personal satisfaction from reading the hundreds of emails and testimonial submissions I’ve received over the years from runners sharing their heartwarming personal stories and motivations in training for their marathons.
Marathontraining.com has also parlayed into many other opportunities for which I’m grateful. I’ve coached hundreds of runners who hired me to provide them with individualized personal training. While many simply wanted to complete a marathon and needed individual guidance, others had more ambitious time goals ranging from bettering their previous race time to breaking 3-hours in the marathon. I even coached a woman who improved her marathon time of 3 hours, 40 minutes to the amazing accomplishment of qualifying for the United States Olympic Trials.
Thanks to the visibility and popularity marathontraining.com received, in 2002 I was asked to author “The Everything Running Book” which now is in its third edition. During that timeframe, I also served as a contributor to “Runner’s World Magazine’s” advice column, and my marathon training program was highlighted in a feature article along with my picture. Over the years, I’ve also contributed numerous running articles to a number of smaller publications and websites.
Since launching the site, I’ve received numerous inquiries from others wishing to purchase marathontraining.com’s content and domain name. While some of the offers were very generous and tempting, I was not ready to relinquish the child I had raised and nurtured for many years!
Fast-forward to the present. A few months ago, I had successful hip replacement surgery and my medical team strongly urged me to retire from running after a 40-year career. Fortunately, I’ve always enjoyed cross-training activities and have replaced running with fitness activities including walking, cycling, elliptical machine workouts, weight training, and yoga.
Soon, I’ll also be approaching my 70th birthday. Thus, life is filled with transitions and I recently decided it’s time for me to finally relinquish the reigns of marathontraining.com but with a caveat. It’s always been my strong desire that when the time came time to sell my site, the new owner would publish only high-level content quality and possess the same ethical principles I’ve held dear to my heart. Fortunately for those who’ve been loyal visitors to my site as well as future marathoners, I have very good news.
Recently, my site was purchased by the folks at marathonhandbook.com. I’m highly confident that they will maintain the same journalistic and ethical standards upon which marathontraining.com was founded. As I cross the finish line, I’d like to wish the staff of marathonhandbook.com and their visitors the very best!
Art Liberman
Founder of marathontraining.com
Articles from MarathonTraining.com:
Taming the Competitor Within
by Christine Hinton Most runners who fill out the race entry form and line up early on a Saturday morning to test themselves are competitive, to some degree, if only for that day. And for the most part, it is about testing ourselves… our will, our determination, our desire to beat the clock. For some…
Goal Setting Considerations
By Art Liberman In today’s busy and complex world, we are often faced with many options and choices. Depending upon their relative importance to us, some decisions take a minimal amount of thought while others will require much evaluation and analysis. We may not even be aware that we arrive at some of the decisions…
How to Choose a Pair of Running Shorts
Perry Dau I’m often asked a wide variety questions regarding running shorts. This article summarizes the many considerations and options related to the purchase of running shorts. Do you wear underwear with the shorts? The intent is NO, running shorts have an integral liner built in. If they do not have this liner I would…
The Science of Carbohydrate Loading
By David Peterson A valid connection between hypoglycemia, fatigue and premature termination of exercise been firmly established and therefore carbohydrate loading is a proven form of boosting running endurance in prolonged events lasting more than two hours in duration. While there are various methods of carbo-loading, the process basically involves consuming large quantities of carbohydrate-rich…
My First Iron Man Triathlon
Dr. Larry Smith I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in such an amazing event as the Iron Man Triathlon. I truly value living in a free and democratic country that is not only war free but beautiful beyond belief. To have 5000 volunteers for 2500 athletes is phenomenal and I…
Why it’s Not Crazy to Run a Marathon
By Stephanie Teskers Studies show that marathon running isn’t about weight loss because it’s comparable to a crash diet, which typically has disheartening results. Training for a marathon could initiate a lifelong habit of engaging in regular exercise, though there are no statistics as yet to prove that it does. So why do people pursue…
Loose Hands = Faster Running!
By Tony Zhang During the time I practiced with the Tufts Marathon Team, for about three weeks, I noticed visible improvements for my 200, 400, and 800m runs. At one of the practices, I asked Coach Don Megerle for help on proper running form. He said the most important thing is to ‘loosen up’ and…
Meditation and Running
By Trace Bonner Loosely translated, meditation means bring to the center, specifically the mind. When we allow the mind to find a centered space it feels relaxed and easeful. The way we get the mind to center is usually not easy, due to the fact the mind is always thinking and commenting through an inner dialogue.…
15 Tips to Overcome Disappointment in Training
By Nate Pennington If you have dealt with disappointment in training or in a race I hope this list of 15 tips to overcome disappointment in training will keep you motivated. Runners are already highly motivated people. If you are a beginner and just starting out, you have already proved to me you are a…
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Barefoot Running – Is it Healthy or Harmful?
By Dr. Aaron V. Mares MD, UPMC Sports Medicine Running barefoot, or natural running, has only become trendy in North America in the last few years. Christopher McDougall’s 2009 best-seller Born to Run is oft credited with kicking off the craze in North America, though our ancestors have been running sans shoes for over a…
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Marathon Training Program: Evaluating Your Race Performance
The marathon is an intriguing event because so many factors come into play in determining how well you will do and how much discomfort you might experience. Did you come face to face with the infamous “wall”? In the days and weeks when the marathon is finally behind you, you may wish to consider the…
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Marathon Training Program: Psychological Issues
Of all the distance running events, the marathon presents the greatest challenges both physically and mentally. Even after completing all the required training and making it to the race site rested and healthy, arriving at the starting line in less than the ideal state of mind can have a devastating effect on your performance. In…
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Marathon Training Program: Experimentation Issues
One beneficial aspect of marathon training that can’t be overlooked is the opportunity to experiment with a variety of miscellaneous concerns (e.g., shoes, nutrition, pacing, etc.) prior to incorporating them into your actual 26.2-mile event. The long run, in particular, is a great time to experiment with various issues in question. A cardinal rule of…
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Marathon Training Program: Stretching
I cannot overstate the necessity and benefits of stretching regularly as part of your running routine, let alone your marathon training program. How we stretch, why we stretch, and when we stretch are the keys to making stretching work for you. There are many texts and magazine articles that provide photos and diagrams of stretches…