Name: Steve

Sex: Male

Age (at the time of first BQ): 45

Height (at the time of first BQ):  5’7”

Weight (at the time of first BQ): 145

At which marathon did you get your first BQ? Rock n Roll DC, March 2017

Tell us a little about the race. This was my first ever marathon, temps were 20F at the start, 30F at the finish with a biting wind! Nice course for the first 15 miles, the rest not so much. Got across the line in 3:20:17.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ? On and off for 15 years but specifically for 18 months.

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? 500

Approximately how many races did you run in that year? 1 x 70.3 tri, 2 x Duathlon, 1 x 13.1

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? Swim, bike and strength training; I was also training for IM Lake Placid in July 17. Always did my long run the day after a long ride to introduce fatigue. Never ran more than 36 miles in one week leading up to this race.

Did speed work play a role in your training? If so, how? Yes, track training once per week. One long track training session per month

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ? Add more cross training to reduce run miles and prevent injury. Add a hilly run and a interval run to build strength. Don’t neglect the core! Practice nutrition on long runs.