I love all the BQ(Q) responses, but I really love the ones from people who’ve put in a lot of time running before they ran a BQ, I mean runners like Elizabeth who’d run over 18,000 before her BQ. Congratulations, Elizabeth! Great work!

Name

Elizabeth C http://www.ElizabethClor.com, Boston Bound

Sex:

Female

Age (at the time of first BQ):

36

Height:

5’5

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

114

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

B & A Marathon

What was your finishing time?

Tell us a little about the race.

This race is run on a paved “rails to trails” course in Severna Park, MD. It’s relatively small with approximately 200-300 finishers. The course profile is mainly flat with some inclines, and just one significant hill.

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

14 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No

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

18,000

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

2150

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

12

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

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

Yes

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

No.

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

Yes. I did speed work twice a week, and sometimes I incorporated speed into long runs.

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

For me, the problem was more of a mental block than a physical one. I think I could have BQ’ed 5-6 years sooner if I didn’t have a mental block + performance anxiety.