I posted about this project yesterday on the reddit running forum and have recieved a number of great submissions, including this one from Jordan.  Thanks Jordan!

Name: Jordan A

Sex: Male

Age (at the time of first BQ): 28

Height: 5’10”

Weight (at the time of first BQ): 140

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

I ran a 2:59 at the North Olympic Discovery Marathon. Full race report can be found  here.

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

I had been running 2 years 10 months.  I didn’t run in school.

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

2298 miles

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

1172 miles

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

4 races: A 5k, an 8k, and 2 half marathons.

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 canned program.  Developed my own based on what I’ve learned about training/physiology.  Had an emphasis on quality workouts and running at a wide variety of paces.  My training is further detailed in the race report above.

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

I run with a club, but no coach.

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

In addition to running, I play soccer once a week and rock climb twice a week.  The soccer helps build speed and the rock climbing builds core strength.  I don’t think either of them are integral to my performance though.

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

Yes.  I do intervals on a track once a week.  Additionally, I will do strides and/or play soccer another time each week.

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

Focus on the quality not just the quantity of your training.   Learn why you are doing different workouts and ensure each workout has a purpose.