Name: Charlotte L

Sex: Female

Age (at the time of first BQ): 32

Height (at the time of first BQ): 5’4″  

Weight (at the time of first BQ): 119lb

At which marathon did you get your first BQ? Reykjavik 2019

Tell us a little about the race. It went really smoothly! It was a cool and grey day, good weather for running. I followed a 1:40 half marathon pace group for the first half, then zoned out on my own until mile 21, then focused on catching people in front of me until the end. The last mile or so I tried to give it everything I’d got and it was painful to try to speed up, but I was proud I ran negative splits. This was my first full marathon.

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

Did you run in college or high school? No

What was your approximate lifetime mileage at the time of your first BQ? 1600mi

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

Approximately how many races did you run in that year? Calendar year: 7, in a full year before: 11

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, Pfitzinger 12/55. 12-week plan starting at 35mi/week and building to 55mi/week. Emphasizes cumulative fatigue.

Did you run with a running club or utilize a coach? Yes

Did cross training play a role in your training? If so, how? No

Did speed work play a role in your training? If so, how? Yes, the plan includes lactate threshold and VO2 max workouts.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ? Be consistent, and don’t be scared of high mileage.