Amazing to read that Nancy smoked for over thirty years and then BQ’ed in her first marathon. Congratulations, Nancy!

Name

Nancy Stedman

Sex:

Female

Age (at the time of first BQ):

45

Height:

5′ 3.5″

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

115

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

Snickers (Albany, Ga)

Tell us a little about the race.

I was a smoker from age 12 to 43, usually a pack a day. BQd at my first marathon.

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

2.5 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No

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

2000 – 2500

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

2000-2500

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

20

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?

Spinning. Helps aerobic capacity & leg strength/ turnover.

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

Yes. Back then I utilized short races for speed work. I don’t do that now, because I avoid back to back hard effort/ long run days.

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

Just be consistent and run a lot, mostly easy, miles. Back off and adjust when necessary.