Here’s a great response from a 50 year old runner with 10,000 miles in his legs. Congratulations, Ken! Thanks for sharing your story!

Name

Ken B

Sex:

Male

Age (at the time of first BQ):

50

Height:

6’1″

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

178

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

Cleveland Towpath

What was your finishing time? Tell us a little about the race.

3:34:10 as I recall. Ran a +1 sec split. Perfect day weather wise following a perfect summer of training with a friend 16 years younger than me.

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

7 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No.

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

10,000

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

2,000

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

3

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?

No

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?

Ran with a friend 2 to 3 times/week who is 16 years younger and faster. Everytime I ran with him was speedwork. So YES.

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

Extra mileage, speedwork, plenty of rest, good diet, staying healthy, etc., all contribute.