Anthony used the same idea I’m using now – heart rate based base training with interval work and tempo work. Of course, he had success much sooner, after only running for a year and a half! Thanks for sharing your story, Anthony!

Name

Anthony D

Sex:

Male

Age (at the time of first BQ):

46

Height:

5’5”

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

142

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

Chicago

Tell us a little about the race.

Flat course, well supported. 59 degrees, 68% humidity at start of race. My first marathon.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ?

1.5 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No

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

2579

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

2385

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

1

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

Yes, customized Jack Daniel’s RunSMART.com

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

Yes

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

Yes – increased flexibility, range of motion and core, adductor, illiopsoas strength.

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

Yes. 2 quality workouts per week that rotated through long, marathon, threshold, vo2max and anaerobic paces according to the training percentages and principles in the Daniel’s Running Formula. I self-selected 60 miles per week as my peak based upon my average weekly volume over the previous 4-6 months of aerobic base building before starting to train for Chicago.

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

Build your aerobic base first via many long, slow, easy miles. Follow the Maffetone max HR training approach and you will get faster while staying aerobic – critical for marathoning without bonking. Your BQ training plan should include lots of 1 or 2 mile threshold paced intervals with short recovery times (1 minute) along with several long marathon paced runs. Good luck, stay healthy and enjoy the stride!