Name

Ben

Sex:

Male

Age (at the time of first BQ):

29

Height:

5′ 10″

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

158

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

Light at the end of the tunnel

Tell us a little about the race.

Gradual downhill the entire way. On an old railway trail that’s now a gravel running/biking trail

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

2 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No

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

2500

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

2000

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

8

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?

High mileage (90-100 mph). Most running at marathon pace sometimes faster

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?

Did 10×800 at least once a week

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

Figure out how much your body can take and push as hard as you can without injury. Through hard training, my marathon pace was faster than my 5k pace 1.5 years earlier