Name: Steve Harrelson

Sex: Male

Age (at the time of first BQ): 43

Height (at the time of first BQ):  5’11”

Weight (at the time of first BQ): 175

At which marathon did you get your first BQ? Berlin

Tell us a little about the race. Berlin is a flat, fast course, and the weather was perfect. It remained about 55 degrees throughout the race. It is well organized, and there are plenty of water stops throughout the course. It’s a great place to qualify for Boston.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ? 19 years

Did you run in college or high school? Yes

What was your approximate lifetime mileage at the time of your first BQ? 12,000 miles

How many miles did you run in the year before your first BQ? 900 miles

Approximately how many races did you run in that year? 4

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, Hal Higdon’s Advanced 2 Marathon Program

Did you run with a running club or utilize a coach? No

Did cross training play a role in your training? If so, how? I did lift some weights 2-3 times per week…mainly dumbbells and push-ups for 30 minutes.

Did speed work play a role in your training? If so, how? My plan called for Yasso 800’s once every three weeks. Toward the end of my training program, I was running 8×800 under 3:10 each relatively comfortably.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ? I did not qualify for Boston until my 11th marathon. Don’t ever give up!