Congrats to everyone that ran the Marine Corps Marathon this weekend! I set a goal to run my first marathon this year after getting more serious about running over the last two years. I decided on the MCM since I had heard the spectators and course were both incredible, and they did not disappoint!

My “out loud” goal was 3:30, and my private goal was 3:20. After making it over the big hills in the first 5mi with the 3:20 pacer, I took off at around a 7:00-7:10 pace while keeping an eye on my HR, not letting it get above 160 bpm. From mile 7-18ish I was able to keep this pace and HR. I wasn’t hitting this pace in any of my training long runs, but the combination of the cool temps, carbo load, and taper had me feeling really good. I was terrified I was going out too fast, but I just kept telling myself that if my HR drifted into the 160s I’d cool it and drop back down to 7:30-8 minute pace, but it just kept hovering around 158-161, so I kept trucking.

At the 13.1 I realized I just PR’ed my half marathon time from 2 years ago. Turns out this stretch was also my PR 10K. This part of the route was a gentle downhill, and since I was between pace groups, it wasn’t very crowded and I was able to get in a groove and hit my stride. From there the route takes you to the national mall, and it was packed with spectators, marching bands, and runners cheering each other on, which was incredible to be a part of. Seeing my girlfriend and parents at miles 17 and 19 gave me another wind before I embarked on the fearsome 14th street bridge. That’s where I started to hit the wall. The 7-7:10 pace that had felt pretty effortless for the first part of the race started to feel like a real push, and my pace fell to the 7:20s-7:30s. Since this was still around my initial “A-goal pace” I was still very content with it, and my HR was still looking fine, even as my legs started to get heavy.

Miles 22-24 felt longer than the entirety of the first half of the course. This is over the bridge, on the highway, and around a weird parking lot??? Thankfully the crowds and vibes at Crystal City were unmatched and pushed me into miles 24 and 25, from there I just gave it all I had to get to the end. Of course the last 0.2 is a pretty steep uphill to the Marine Corps memorial, but it was pretty incredible to finish there with marines applauding runners and giving out medals.

Between the support of my family, the other runners, spectators and marines, I couldn’t have asked for a better first marathon experience.

Not the fastest of times, but my goal pace was 6.50 so at least I was consistent 😂 raise €2500 for Pieta House (Suicide Prevention) in the process, a charity that’s close to my heart so it was worth every second 🙏🏼

Last weekend I ran a new Marathon PB at 3:33 at the Marine Corps Marathon. I had a few hiccups in the race like being slightly late to the start and missing my pace group. Also the last few miles on essentially a highway in the full sun was especially demoralizing. But overall I think I ran pretty close to my potential which ultimately was the goal.

I had posted some data from my training here and gave some specific and accurate context for that data to see if people thought 3:30 was achievable. What I was surprised to see though was a lot of comments completely dismissing the idea that I would be in the ballpark of my goal.

Don't get me wrong I recognize I didn't hit 3:30. But I was definitely in the ballpark and maybe it could have been acheivable if everything went perfectly.

At the end of the day, I pretty much nailed what I thought my heart rate would be and how long I could sustain it and roughtly what my pace would look like.

This isn't meant to be an "I told you so" but more of just a guidance to take suggestions here with a grain of salt. You don't really know who is commenting or what their experience is or how well they tried to understand your post. At the end of the day you know yourself and need to trust your own instinct.

As the title says, I (f25) recently finished my first marathon (MCM) while significantly undertrained. I completed the race in 3:49:24 after my training block effectively ended after week 12 of 18, and I wanted to share my experience in case it’s helpful for others who are considering deferring in the wake of injury/messy training blocks, etc.

My block was going flawlessly and I hadn’t missed or cut a single run, until a reckless half PR and speed work on old shoes gave me shin splints around 6 weeks out. After that, i was only able to run a grand total of 14 miles leading up to the race, and my longest ever run in training was also only 17 miles, 7 weeks out. Needless to say I was pretty terrified, and also super disappointed about having to let go of the time goals I had set for myself when my training was going to plan, but I promised myself I would cross the finish line one way or another.

While my time wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be when I was at peak fitness (I was originally shooting for sub 3:40) I’m really proud of the race I managed given the circumstances, and more than that, am incredibly happy to say that despite how hard it was, I also had fun!!

A few things that I think set me up for success despite the set backs:

- I maintained my cardiovascular fitness as best I could even though I couldn’t run. The elliptical was my saving grace, and I swapped all of my missed long runs for extended workouts (i.e 3 straight hours on the machine in place of my 20 mile long run)

- I prioritized fueling. I took my 3-day carb load seriously and had a gel every 30 minutes during the race despite how I was feeling. I also practiced my gel intake during my long elliptical sessions, and as a result I had zero cramps, stomach issues, or bathroom breaks during the race.

- I had an amazing support system. The crowds at MCM were unreal and I did my best to smile and let them carry me. I put my name on my bib and those extra personal cheers from strangers really made all the difference! My friends and family were also the world’s greatest spectators, they managed to catch me at 5 different points on the course and each time felt like an instant boost.

- This is obviously an uncontrollable factor, but my race day was blessed with the most perfect weather I could’ve imagined.

All this to say that if you’re doubting yourself because of the way your training block went and are afraid of falling short of your own expectations, give yourself some grace and let your body surprise you! You truly never know what you’re capable of and I wouldn’t trade any aspect of this experience for the world. Next up, NYCM 2027 😊

During a marathon build, strength training can be one of the first things to disappear when mileage and fatigue start increasing.

That makes me wonder whether a smaller, more convenient home setup is actually better for runners than a fully equipped gym.

If you could keep only two or three pieces of equipment for year-round strength work, what would make the cut? Adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, a bench, a rack, or something else?

I'd especially like to hear what runners still use when their weekly mileage gets high, rather than what looks great in a home-gym tour.

I improved my personal best from 2:56 (set back in 2013) to 2:48 at the Jersey City Marathon in April 2026, and now down to 2:45 on the Marine Corps Marathon. The key was following a training approach based on careful exercise planning, recovery, and fatigue management. Balancing training with the high-workload professional schedule can be challenging, but it is completely possible!

I am a 55 yr old male who just ran his first marathon. I ran X-country and track in HS but had not run seriously/consistently since my mid 20's. I started running regularly again in late 2023. For most of 2025 I battled cancer which really limited my ability to run. I ran when I felt well enough to up until Oct 2025 when I had major abdominal surgery to remove my tumor. The surgery stopped my running for the rest of 2025 while I healed.

Got cleared to begin running again in February 2026. Decided that I wanted to run the MCM. From February to June I focused on getting my legs back. Ran a couple of 5K and 10K races. In June I started a training program. My 5K and 10K times and a prior half (before I got sick) suggested that a sub-4 hour marathon was possible, so that's what I trained for.

Training block went very well. Hit all my runs and speed workouts. Practiced my hydration and nutrition. Felt very confident going into race day.

Race day came and I still felt very confident. Took in 80 grams of carbs per hour. Was on pace for a sub 4-hour marathon through mile 20, but then I hit the wall very hard and had to slow way down in order to finish. I finished with a 4:37 marathon. Not what I wanted or trained for but I did it and when I put it into perspective of what the last 18 months had been for me I view it as a huge success.

Here are a few things that I learned:

1. I didn't respect the distance as much as I should have. I won't make that mistake again (yes there will be more marathons for me, I am hooked.
2. While I nailed the in-race nutrition, I severely underestimated my hydration needs. While not the only reason I hit the wall, it was certainly a major factor.
3. My peak weeks were 50+ miles and I thought that made me pretty fit. As fit as I thought I was, I could benefit from more volume for sure. In other words, my level of fitness did not support my goal despite what my workouts told me.
4. Marathon training is far more fun when you do it with a group of friends. I had a great group to train with.

Like I said above, 4:37 for a first marathon at the age of 55 post stage 3 cancer is a huge win for me. Can't wait to see how much I can approve moving forward.

I am taking this week to recover and then will be back at training. I am going to follow Pfitz's reverse taper plan. I haven't decided on the next marathon yet so I have a question for all you folks (who are much more knowledgeable than me) how would you suggest I structure training in-between training blocks with the goal of building more volume into my training?

Thanks so much for the help I've received from this forum in the past and for any guidance you can provide on the question above.

I’m 25 and just found out I have a congenital bicuspid aortic valve with severe aortic regurgitation. Surprisingly, my heart is still functioning well, but I’ll eventually need surgery.
I’ve been training for the Guadalajara Marathon in November and my first 50K ultra in December. Unfortunately, my cardiologist has ruled out marathons for at least a year. I’m currently limited to easy 5K runs and moderate strength training.
My doctor is optimistic I’ll eventually return to running normally, which is reassuring, but it’s still devastating after months of training.
Has anyone here dealt with a major medical setback or heart surgery and eventually returned to marathons? How did you handle the mental side of suddenly losing something you love?

I ran my 3rd marathon at MCM on Sunday in 3:07:33. I was pushing for sub 3:05, but legs failed me towards the end.

I ran a half marathon this March in 1:29:43 and it was over 100% effort as I ended up in the hospital for severe stomach issues. I ran the first half of MCM in 1:30:44 and felt amazing.

Below is some more information regarding my running history:

I’m a 25 year old male who started running in summer 2024.

2.5 year marathon progression:
2024 - 3:58
2025 - 3:26
2026 - 3:07

I’ve ran over 1600 miles so far this year and peaked at 57 miles for my latest training block. How likely am I to break 3 hours in my next marathon, assuming it’s in the fall of 2027? And what are my odds of an eventual BQ time within 2 years (I’m guessing it’ll be around 2:45 by the time I get there)?

Summary

I won't say the race was a failure for me, because at the end of the day I ended up running a race in another state for the first time in my life... but my race performance and strategy execution were both shitty.

My goal was a sub-3:30. Ended up finishing in 3:43 (same exact time as my first). Stuck with a bad pacer for too long, slowed down at mile 10. Over-hydrated and lacked gut training for 60-80g/hr carb intake, so was nauseous at mile 15. Hit the wall at mile 19.

Training, Conditioning, and Injuries

At the time of the race:
5'7", 28M. 175-180 lbs @ 19% BF.

Ideally, I wanted to start the Higdon Intermediate 2 plan back in the Spring. Immediately, after a vacation, I got a bad IT Band injury and was almost unable to run. A few minutes of running would immediately cause painful flaring. This caused me to fall behind and make up a schedule on the fly.

I'd aim for a long run, a speed run every other week or so, and making up easy miles in between.

One thing I did this year was ditch heart rate based easy runs and focused entirely on being able to nose breath. I take Adderall XR and that bumps my HR up when I run. So 160-165 BPM was comfortable-ish nose breathing.

Pace Distribution

I had to actually take walking breaks every mile after mile 20. Last year, I never needed a walking break. I slowed down a lot at mile 21-22, but I never walked.

What Went Wrong

Ultimately it was my fault for not pacing myself by watch, but my pacer was really bad and I stuck it out with him for 10 miles. Realized too late that he was off by a lot, and by then I was already way more drained than reasonable for the first half of the race.

• As a 3:30 pacer, his average should've been 8:00/mi. He finished with a 3:25, and his pace was all over the place. He averaged 7:27 through mile 13. His splits:

• I had a gut feeling he was going very fast and I felt confused for a lot of the first 10 miles. Felt myself getting more tired and exerting more effort than I ever had doing 7:50-8 pace work. Kept seeing those sub 7:30 miles, and despite all that I kept sticking to him thinking it would work out in the end.

I also really fucked up my fueling and hydration, so I felt nauseous and bloated from the mile 15 point all the way to the end.

• Last year, I was averaging 30-40g carbs an hour during my first marathon when I hit 3:43. I realized this a few weeks out from this race, so in a last ditch effort I started taking SiS 40g gels at a frequency of a gel every 35-40 min
  • I was only able to try this for a 17 mile run and it felt OK so I assumed it would be fine for this race
  • This race, I was drinking a lot, taking multiple cups at stations sometimes. Not only was my stomach feeling crappy but I also had to take actual bathroom breaks to pee.
  • This race, I was drinking a lot, taking multiple cups at stations sometimes. Not only was my stomach feeling crappy but I also had to take actual bathroom breaks to pee.
• I over-hydrated and drank way more than last year. Then, I stuck to my 500ml bottle of an electrolyte mix until the last quarter of the race, and then just took sips at water stations
  • This race, I was drinking a lot, taking multiple cups at stations sometimes. Not only was my stomach feeling crappy but I also had to take actual bathroom breaks to pee.

Takeaways and 2027 Goals

Before this race, my plan was that if I hit a 3:30, I'd aim for a 3:10 or faster time. I've entered the lotteries for the Berlin and Sydney marathons for August-September. Now, I am feeling doubtful but on the other hand, I think my mistakes were primarily race day tactics and getting injured in the first place.

For my next marathon I think I will:

• I don't feel comfortable trusting a pacer again to be honest, so I might just stick to watch pace from the get-go. Unless I explicitly have a convo with them, understand what their tactic will be, and if my watch says they're on track.
• Proper gut training, not just having 1 17 mile run as an experiment for 60-80g/hr carb intake.
• Actually stick to a strict hydration frequency, not just operating on vibes.
• Shift my schedule up to a 60-65 mi/wk peak, and be healthy enough to actually see it through from start to end without pivoting into an improvised plan.

Maybe it's cope, but I seriously think I could've hit 3:30 this race.

Ran the MCM on 10/25, my first marathon. Great event and an insane crowd. Before this I'd run a few local 5Ks (22:42 PB) and the Austin Half (2:02). I've been running about 1.5 years.

Split:
3 runs a week (easy, easy/speed, long run)
2 bodybuilding-style strength sessions (upper/lower)
1-hour zone 1 bike
30 min Mobility/plyometrics

Peak mileage was 33 miles/week and my longest run was 21 miles. My 19-miler at MP felt fine.
The plan was to start 2 miles slightly slower, then settle into 8:30 pace.

Everything went well until mile 18, when my pace started to drift. I took in about 70g of carbs an hour but fell badly behind on hydration. In training I barely drank on my 19 and 21 milers (maybe one cup of water total) and felt fine, so in the race I only took half a cup around mile 5 and again around mile 13.

By the bridge I was severely dehydrated, and there were no water stations for what felt like 10 miles (realistically 2-3). At the next one I stopped and drank 6 cups, but couldn't get back to pace. I kept grabbing all liquids in sight, in total about 6 small cups and 4 bottles in 15 minutes, and eventually got running again, but still felt the effects and settled into a 10:00 pace to finish.

TLDR: grab water at every station, even if not thirsty.

Hello, everyone. I recently ran my first ever marathon at age 32 and now I want to sign up for another one at home. I finished at 3:57:23. I didn’t follow an actual training program for this one but now I want to and I’m asking for recommendations on which plans to get there.

For my first one, I did it in Mito City, Ibaraki, Japan. It was about 65-72 degrees throughout and 98% humidity. I feel like that played a decent part in my performance. I got stuck at the back of the crowd and I had to play catch up for 3 miles so that slowed me down a bit. There were no pacers that I could find so I just kept pace myself. I held rough goal pace until about 21 so I bonked with 5 miles to go. The last mile was the hardest because my quad locked up on me on a big hill.

My fueling was on time and it definitely carried me through. I never felt like I was going too fast or doing too much but obviously I was at some point due to bonking. It was a relatively flat course so that helped.

My made up training program consisted of me only running between 20-30 mpw for a couple months then ramping up to 40-50 mpw and peaking at 60 mpw. I ran 6x a week with 4 zone 2 runs, 1 speed workout midweek, and a long run every weekend but I only did a couple 14s, one 16, one 18, and one 20. I usually aimed for MP or faster on my speed workouts and about half of my long run distances at MP. I’d like to do more this time around to condition myself and do more actual speed work and weight training.

Does anyone have any recommendations for maybe an intermediate to advanced plan that they believe could get me to reach this new PB? I definitely felt like with better weather conditions and an actual pacer I could reach this goal on my second marathon in March.

Hope it’s ok to post here. Relatively new, or I should say returning, but much more structured runner.

Been running for 7 weeks now consistently. Worked myself up from just about scraping together 3k at 7:30km to my last long run, being 13k at 6:06km.

Whilst I’m not training FOR a marathon. I’m following a coopah plan to build base, then in December starting a marathon plan to eventually build myself up for a marathon distance for somewhere around late spring/early summer. No real goal, no event, just wanna see where my body takes me.

As my next 2 Sunday long runs will now be 16k. With it increasing over the next few months, I’m starting to think about fuelling during runs. With my runs about to be over 1 and a half hours I’m curious what I should do. So I thought no better place to ask than a sub all about long runs!

When did you start fuelling during runs? What did you take? How did that evolve with time? I’m thinking of starting with some gels and maybe some gummies? What about water?

Thanks guys :)

Hi!! I am looking to sign up for a Spring marathon and looking for recs and experiences if anyone has. Unfortunately my most local marathon is the boston marathon (cry), so I am looking for something in the New England area (I'm not opposed to traveling further but would have to make sense). I am hoping to near-BQ so a 3:25 ish time

Races I have considered:

Martha's Vineyard- seems flat and well reviewed, small field but I think that is ok with me? Have a place to stay on the cape so convenient as well
Vermont City - would be ideal but have a wedding this weekend
Sugarloaf - not too sure if logistics would be annoying location-wise
Newport - seems like the most well attended but worried about hills if I really want to BQ or just PR
Maine Coast - have heard conflicting things about, seems like some people were not fans and some were

Started 2026 in the worst shape of my life, could barely run a 5k and was happy with a single mile under an 8:30 pace. Signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon with a goal of being sub 4:30. Dedicated fully to training. Did some form of cardio every day for 6 straight months and totally changed my diet. Lost 60+ pounds and went into the race feeling really good, thinking that 3:30 might be possible if everything went perfectly. Finished with a 3:21! Still shocked by how well it went

How have people navigated peak week while managing injury? So far, my longest long run was 19 miles during week 13 of training. I'm in week 15 right now with a 20-mile run slated for Sunday, and I'm not sure if I should just try it, adjust the distance, or cross-train instead. For context, I run my long runs at an 11-minute pace, so a 20-mile run will take around 3 hours and 40 minutes. What would a longer taper look like if I adjust now?

For context, my ankle mobility has always been poor, and the rest of my leg has taken the brunt of it throughout the training cycle. Most weeks it feels completely fine, but I took a week off midway through training due to arch pain stemming from ankle issues. Recently, things have been feeling alright, and I completed 19 miles pain free and feeling really great. I had an intense 8-mile speed session on Friday that I think I overdid in terms of pace, with some hills and heavy impact on declines, when most of my runs have been easy throughout my training block. I noticed my shin starting to feel tight and uncomfortable at rest over the weekend, so I skipped my 12-mile long run on Sunday (technically a deload week). Today felt fine, and I did a 2-mile easy run, but everything was tight in the lower third of my leg toward the end of the run and still is now. I know it is likely due to my poor ankle mobility (I'll confirm with my PT this week), so I don't believe it's anything structural that would stop me from running the race in 3.5 weeks.

Intro and Race Prep:

Super proud of my first Marathon. I only started training last Christmas after getting a Coros Pace 3.

I didn't necessarily follow a training block. I progressively built weekly mileage. Starting from about 20 a week in January, and capping at 70 a week in August. (approximately 1520 total miles of training from January to marathon start line). I started weekly 20 mile long runs in June and did those every Sunday from June to October.

I did religiously follow the 80-20 rule, and ran nearly all of my mileage according to heart rate, rather than perceived effort.

In May I was able to run a 1:39:40 HM at the Flying pig, and decided to set an extremely aggressive marathon goal of sub 3:20.

Race Plan:

Going into race day, I was quite confident. Despite my best long run only being 20 miles at 7:59 Pace, I had trained in an area about 3.8x hillier than the Columbus course, and was praying the hills were covering up my pace.

I wrote the nutrition plan on my arm. 4 Gus, 2 Caffeinated, 2 non-caffeinated, as well as 2 homemade 60g carb flask (30g Maltodextrin + 30g maple syrup, water to fill). I only planned to stop at hydration stations when consuming the Gus, as the weather meant sweat would be hopefully minimal (predicted start temp of 30 degrees Fahrenheit)

For the race strategy itself; since it was my first marathon, I didn't do too much, I was aiming for a negative split, but really had no clue how miles 21-26 would feel, since my longest run was only 21 miles. I did drive the last 13 miles of the course as mental preparation.

The Race:

There isn't a whole lot to say other than it went perfectly.

I started out a little farther back in the corral than I had originally hoped, so had to claw my way through traffic, but managed to keep myself within my expected pace and heart rate zones. I ended up chatting with a stranger from about mile 9-21, who was on his 42nd marathon, and his experience was great in motivating me to both keep up and pace myself at different points in the race.

Nearly hit the wall at mile 18, going up a hill, but pushed through. At mile 21ish, I had stationed my dad on the course to cheer me on, and tell me to push if I was near my goal, and I credit him with giving me a lot of the encouragement to push to break my goal.

Last 3.1 miles I pushed hard, and felt absolutely phenomenal. I managed to absolutely crush my goal of 3:20. Crossing at 3:14:57.

Additional Data

Overall I was super happy with what I think was an extremely well disciplined and well ran race. Looking forward to seeing what I can do in my next

I have run a lot of marathons and generally my carb loading has consisted of a curry and rice or a pizza or a bowl of pasta the day before.
However for my latest I decide to carb load properly - I was taking in 650-750g of carbs per day the 2 days before my race , no / very little protein or fats and oils just good carbs. It was quite tough going at times especially eating bags full of plain rice mixed with golden syrup but I used carb drinks and Haribo for easy carbs to help build up the total.

Anyway race day felt so much better - none of that starting to hit the wall feeling , felt stronger throughout , I fuelled well on the day , I use carb pastilles and drink rather than gels , and had breakfast 3 hours before race.

No upset stomach or multiple pre race bowel movements.

It really made so much difference and I finally achieved my sub 4 goal.

Bagels and Jam , rice , breakfast pancakes , Haribo , FTP pastilles , crumpets and cornflakes were the things I concentrated on but there's lots of other options.

Wasn’t sure what to expect in my first marathon. I did some training in my 20s but never did a race bc they always scared me. This year I decided it’s now or never.

Training block went great until the taper and it felt like the wheels were falling off - Achilles started acting up, hamstring got angry, etc. One week before the race I thought the jig was up and I’d have to DNS. WRONG.

Had a great time out there - crowds were crazy - and got to dig deep in the final stretch. What a privilege to get to move our bodies like this. Filled with gratitude.

Hello friends!
I am a newer runner (just began running last year), and want to train for a sub-4 LA Marathon next year. I ran LA last year in 4:30 and felt really good after - I feel like I can definitley push myself harder this year.

My race stats thus far are as follows:
Rose Bowl Half 2026: 1:56
LAM: 4:30
Yosemite Half: 1:47
Lotus 5k: 22:49
Santa Monica Classic 10k: 50:00

Does sub-4 seem like an attainable goal with these stats? If so, what running plans or programs do folks reccomend for this kind of goal? I honestly just winged it last year and only trained about 6 weeks leading up to the race (which was not safe or smart). Would like to be more regimented and safe this training cycle. Any advice on how to approach this training block would be greatly appreciated :)

I’m looking at a marathon for march- the TRM and Myrtle beach marathon are both flat and fast. I live much closer to Durham area so that’s a plus but I’m looking for a good race experience and would love a BQ time to top it off. Has anyone done one or both? Recommendations?

Ran MCM this weekend and finished in 4:26!!! The course was quite brutal. The first 2-3 miles of rolling hills felt okay because of the beautiful weather and sunrise; however, the last 6 miles almost took me out!!! The bridge at mile 21 and the lap around the parking lot ... wow, talk about psychological warfare. I have only done small local races previously, so the amount of spectators and my lovely, amazing friends who cheered me on made all the difference.

I am very proud of this time (goal was <4:30), considering that I am a full-time grad student on clinical rotations, and I missed a good amount of my mid-week runs in favor of studying. I started running about 2.5 years ago during my gap year, and this is my 3rd marathon. I am decreasing my time by \~20 mins with each marathon (5:10 -> 4:43 -> 4:26).

Does anyone have any tips on how to get faster? Most of my runs are between 9:45 - 11:00 pace. Thinking about trying to focus on half marathon training for a sub-2-hour half? I PRed my half this race too (2:12).

Just ran my first marathon (3:39) and enjoyed it. Because the training takes up a lot of family time and my child has early wakings (I can’t run before work or early on weekends) I want to switch back to half marathons. They take up less time for me given I’ll be doing 30-35 miles per week in 3 days. I also want to get back into the gym as well. My plan is to run my second marathon in spring 2028. Thinking of doing 3-4 half marathons in 2027.

Has anyone done this type of break between marathons and if so what improvements did you see in your overall fitness and did it help your second go at a marathon?