Name: Jeremy D.

Gender: Male

Age (at time of first BQ): 30

Height: 5’6″

Weight (at time of first BQ): 135lbs,

At which marathon did you get your first BQ? What was your finishing time? Tell us a little about the race.

BQ @ 2008 Lakefront Marathon, Milwaukee, WI. Finishing time of 3:09.  Good race, conditions were overcast and cool. Had a major meltdown in 2007 on my first real BQ try. The heat really did me in, so I was looking for some redemption. As for the 2008 race, I crossed the 1/2 at 1:29, then had a fade near the end. Not terrible, but I recognized that I was tiring so I modified the pace to protect my BQ. Obviously a positive split isn’t ideal, but it worked out OK.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ? Did you run in college or high school?

Ran in HS and very sporadically during college. Started running again on my final day of student teaching in June 2006. So a little over two years to go from couch to BQ. When I first started running again, I couldn’t even run a mile.

What was your approximate lifetime mileage at the time of your first BQ?

Lifetime mileage was probably around 4000 miles.

How many miles did you run in the year before your first BQ?

In the year before my BQ, I would estimate my mileage to be around 2000 miles.

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

I probably ran 10 races that year.

Did you follow a canned program? If so, which one? If not, can you give us an idea of what your training philosophy was?

No real plan. Easy runs, long runs, and 5Ks or 10Ks for speedwork. I’ve personally found a direct correlation between average weekly mileage and race performance. That continues to this day.

Did you run with a running club or utilize a coach?

No clubs, no coach. 99% solo runs.

Did cross training play a role in your training? If so, how?

Almost no cross training. That continues to this day. IF I had the time for cross training, I would just run more!

Did speed work play a role or specific workouts play a role in your training? If so, how?

No speedwork or specific workouts. I try to finish strong on my long runs. I try to stay at about 10%-20% of marathon pace, which is a Pfitzinger-style long run.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ?

Consistent miles make a huge difference. Canned plans and coaches may work for some people, but the bottom line is that if you aren’t consistently running and getting your mileage in, the BQ may prove elusive.