You may recall setting up a running schedule for me in mid-May of this year. It was in preparation for this year’s cancelled New York City Marathon which was to be my first.
I wanted to let you know I followed your program bang on so when New York was cancelled I found a much smaller yet very enjoyable marathon just outside Washington D.C. called the Potomac River Run Marathon. I completed it this past Sunday (November 18) in a time of 3:09:33 which is okay for my age of 47. I just wanted to thank you for your help.
I used your program this year for my 3rd marathon. My previous best was 5:22:13. In this years Columbus marathon, I ran it in 4:05:39. I missed days here and there due to work, but didn't miss but 1 or 2 long runs. Thanks a lot, I'd recommend this program to anyone.
South Zanesville, OH
I have really appreciated the great advice on your website, as well as the training schedule. A friend and I talked about doing the Marine Corps Marathon as we were about to end our enlistment in the Marines 16 years ago. Life got in the way, we got out of shape, and just last fall we found each other on facebook and decided to finally do this. I'm excited about it, and again thank you for the help you have provided.
I am a beginning runner at 51 years old. Although I've been involved with sports most of my life. This past December I decided to try to train for a full marathon. I found your website.
In my opinion your website was written for me. I learned how to build my mileage up. I was made aware of problems/obstacles that would start to crop up as training got more intense. The three pronged approach of training body, mind and soul just made sense to me. It gave me a displine. A good example for me was to understand there are "off" days, find the positive. It gave me a desire/focus to meet the weekly goals. I found a determination to finish the goal I made some 10 months ago. In addition, I became really attuned to my bodys' energy level and learned how to feed it during the long practice runs. My tune up races taught me both speed and pacing, information I learned from the website.
The truth is I've never wanted to be a long distance runner. Initally I felt the running of the marathon would be a one and done deal. Some forty weeks later instead of feeling I'd run & done I started to see exercise can be away of life injury free. Sunday I did the Chicago Marathon 5hrs 10min. Today is Wednsday, the only soreness I have is from my right knee that I twisted race day in a pothole. Thank you for a website that fed me on so many levels. I've already set some new goals for 2013. One is a return to Chicago to do a pr on it :)
I just ran the north shore marathon in Auckland, New Zealand in a time of 3hours, 43 minutes. At the age of 44 / first ever marathon thanks for the help on your website very informative.
gisborne new zealand
I just completed the Paris marathon in 3hours, 52minutes using your training schedule. It worked a treat. Thanks!
I used this program to train for my first marathon and it worked out great. I just finished the Windemere Marathon in 4 hours, 33 minutes and it was wonderful. I am 51 years old and would recommend this training to anyone.
I used this site to prepare for my first marathon at the age of 42. I read every thing there was to read on this site and found the information very, very useful. On April 28, 2012, I ran the Rotorua Marathon, which has the reputation of being the hardest marathon in New Zealand, in a time of 3:57:28. Thanks and will be back for my next marathon.
Tauranga, New Zealand
I’m 59 and ran my first marathon five years ago. Since then I’ve run two additional marathons and two half-marathons. Thanks for providing good information on training and nutrition.
This is one of the best informative sites with regards to Marathons. In July 2011 I picked up running to stop smoking. At the same time, I bumped into this site and used the training schedules for motivation. Guess what? On February 26, 2012 I raced the Malta Marathon and finished it in 3:57:44! Along the way, I’ve kept myself informed through reading and this site was very useful. I’d like to thank you for making the information on the website available for all… free, truthful, and useful. The mileage build up is challenging yet well designed to keep you out of trouble. I started the program as a smoker at the age of 37 weighing 74 kg. (163 pounds) and out of breath. Today I weigh 65 kg. (143) can run a 10K in less then 44 minutes and don't smoke. I will advise this site to anyone who has a marathon as a dream and wants his dream to come true, with a bit of hard work of course. Thanks again!
I used this plan to run my first marathon in Philly. It is a lot more running than some of the plans out there but it got me ready. I did it in 4:36 and enjoyed every step. I highly recommend this.
I first contacted Art to sign on for personal training so I could run my first half marathon. That was four half marathons, one 15K, two 4-milers, and about 12 5Ks ago! My latest half marathon was my fastest. This year, I am planning on running two half marathons and many more shorter races. I still use the schedule he created for me and this past year, I kept running all year instead of stopping for the winter. I am in better shape now than I have ever been. Art's website has great pointers and I use it to remind me of what I should be thinking about in regards to training and getting ready for races. Art is sensible and never sacrifices health and common sense for speed and grandeur. Thanks to Art and marathontraining.com, I have met and am still achieving my personal running goals. Thanks so much!
I used this marathon training program to train for my first Boston Marathon last April. I had previously been running only a couple of times a week for a few months when I began using the training program in September 2010 and completed it in April 2011. I ran unofficially but did finish with a time of about 4 hours and 7 minutes. Not bad for a 43 year old who had never run one before and hadn't run a road race in 20 years. Thanks for the great program!
I used the mileage buildup schedule to train for a half marathon. Low and behold, I registered a PR! Thank you so much for this site.
A few weeks ago on October 9, 2011, I achieved biggest thing in my life till date… I finished my first marathon at Chicago. It was in February of 2011 that I decided to run the Chicago Marathon. Before that I had no running background, none at all. I remember in January, I could barely run a mile. When I decided that I had to do a marathon, I started to look for the training material and luckily, I landed at the best resource, marathontraining.com. Being a novice and having no experience in running, I chose the Mileage Buildup Schedule I first and started to follow it religiously. In the beginning, I faced problems like shin splints and muscular pain. However, by resting and taking ibuprofen as needed, my legs stopped aching and I started to love running. I used to run in the evening hours after work. The Mileage Buildup Schedule really made me ready for the race. Then I followed 17 weeks training plan targeted for the marathon. After reading it in many books and blogs, I knew long runs are the key to success, so made it a point to complete every long run even though I might have to miss other weekday runs. The longest run I did was 18 miles. On marathon day, I had one thing in my mind… Either I will leave the marathon race course in an ambulance or by running to the finish line! There was no chance I was giving in as I trained so hard. My first marathon made me believe that it's rightly said that "Marathon is a test of mental strength rather than physical strength”. Marathontraining.com helped me build both which prepared me to finish. My family and friends were proud to see me wearing the finishers’ medal. A special thanks to my virtual coach "Art Liberman". You Rock!
Here is the deal: If you follow Art's advice, you can succeed. I followed the training program on Art's website to the letter and ran the Air Force Marathon, my first, in 3:24:08. I was fast enough to qualify for Boston, and have been accepted by the Boston Athletic Association for the 2012 race! Art's program prepared me without killing me, and got me to the start line healthy and confident. If you asked me 12 months ago if I thought I could get to Boston, I would have told you no. Thanks Art, you've provided a wealth of great information. I really appreciate it!!
This site has extra-ordinary important information on all aspects of long distance running! All content is scientific, based on proven principles and experience, and yet it shows openness and transparency, asking the reader to check with other sources also! Even the topics of psychology, post-event recovery, and restart have been well dealt. I would recommend to all my friends in this field. Professionally, I am a senior pediatrician!
Dr. Jayant N.
I just completed my first marathon after following the program set out here. I had a good base going into training, having done about six half marathons over the last two years with my times ranging from 1:56 down to 1:47. I finished the marathon in 4:33 which was about 35 minutes slower than my target, although the weather in Sydney that morning ranged from 23-30 degrees (Celsius), about 10-15 degrees warmer than I trained in, so was glad to finish. It was so hot that I found race temperatures nothing like my training (much higher heart rate for a given pace, more fluids required). But with the things I learned during training, I was able to adjust on marathon day so I could finish. Overall, I found the guidance and tips on your site to be practical and spot on. Further, the whole experience has spurred me on to want to do another marathon where I can run in better conditions and enjoy the experience even more. Thanks!
I was online looking for a 16-week training plan and stumbled onto this site. I was 17 weeks out and it fit my schedule perfectly. The 6-milers on Tuesdays and Thursdays meant waking up just an hour or so early those days, and my son's soccer practice every Wednesday gave me the perfect time to do the 8-milers. I don't have church until 10:45 on Sundays now, so the long runs that day were great. This enabled me to spend more time with my family on Saturdays with the shorter runs then. My fastest previous marathon was a 4:57. I ran SARNR in 4:42 on this plan. I even had an injury just three weeks prior to the race caused by a pair of shoes I wear to work. I used Airrosti for treatment and was able to run. Other than those last few weeks, I followed your schedule almost to the letter. Thanks so much. I'll be using it again this year.
San Antonio, TX
Everything was well run and amazing from the start. I really enjoyed the trip!
Thanks vcaretoursandtravels.com for making my journey memorable. All the facilities was well furnished which made my journey easy & comfortable.
I just completed my first marathon in San Diego using all of the information on your website. I met all of my goals: First, I finished. Second, I did not injure myself. Third, I achieved my time goal (sub-4:00). Your website got me there. Thanks!
I didn’t become an avid non runner until I turned 40. After our basement got finished, my wife purchased a treadmill for her own personal fitness. After getting encouragement, I started running just to try out. I enjoyed it a lot and three years later, I decided to train for a full marathon. One month before the event, I got runner knee and was done running all together. One year later in 2011, I tried running again but this time using your marathon training program. It was amazing… I trained without injury and pain! On May 29, 2011, I finished the Saskatchewan Marathon in 4 hours, 22 minutes without walking. Thank you for your help.
I've been an ardent follower of this website and have found its information very useful. I started off as a novice runner, using the training schedules posted. The injury prevention strategies enabled me to determine the cause of my injuries. As I became a more experienced runner, I clocked 1:44 in my first half marathon and 4:25 in my first full marathon. I hope others have benefited as I have from the advice provided. Cheers and happy running!
I have just completed my first full Marathon in Barcelona with a time of 3 hours, 21minutes. I was very happy with the race and time. The last few miles were tricky but I always felt in control. I think this is a very good programme which prepared me for the race very well. I was pleased with the simplicity of the schedule and that it was not based on timing/pace which I think can over-complicate the training. All in all, I am a very happy runner and many thanks to the author for the access to this extremely informative and useful site.
Pilar de la horadada, Spain
Your training schedule was fabulous. I just ran my first marathon, got no injuries, and did a good time. Thanks for all your advice… If you stick to it, this plan works!
This will be my second marathon, which is the Boston Marathon 2011. I had no idea how to train for my first marathon but somehow qualified to run Boston this year (I hit the wall HARD in that marathon). I trained for the Philly Marathon but with a nagging foot injury and a feeling of being burnt out I had to withdraw after 16 miles, just wasn't mentally there. I found this training and used it as a guideline. My foot is still nagging, but the training guide has been a HUGE help. 20 miles seems easy now and I don’t feel burnt out and I am so excited to run Boston. This schedule has made me realize its ok to take days off and that I don’t have to run 20 miles every weekend has been a huge KEY factor! Can't wait for Boston, thank you!
After half a year of training at my own pace, I got the crazy idea of signing up for the 2011 Tokyo Marathon. To my surprise I beat the one in ten chance of getting to run it. So there I was with a goal, lots of motivation, and absolutely no clue how to train for a marathon. Google delivered me to www.marathontraining.com just in time. I traded in my schedule of 80k a month, followed the mileage buildup plan, and later continued on to the full marathon training schedule. This site gave me advice about every aspect of my training: when to run, when to rest, when to consider going to the doctor with an injury, and even what to expect. Thanks to www.marathontraining.com, by the time I was standing in front of the Tokyo Municipal Building with 35,000 other runners, I felt very confident both about my training and that I was going to finish. First marathon time: 4:13:39 from start to finish line. Thank you!
Canada (ex-pat living in Japan)
I have been using this training site since early October, 2010. I used the mileage build-up to train for a half-marathon. I am currently stationed overseas and occasionally had to work around my schedule. But it worked! I did my first half-marathon in a time of 2:05. The best part is that I have lost 30 pounds since the training started. Thank you!
Last year I finished the Airtel Delhi half marathon in 1:53:45 using information from this site. This year marathontraining.com is helping me prepare for the full marathon.
Your website has given me very good inputs and, I have just completed my half marathon successfully
I ran a marathon today in 4 hours, 19 minutes. I paced myself and found that I had heaps of energy at the end. I wanted to go bit faster but felt unsure because it was my first one. I followed this program as it was well planned. Thank you.
I’m 41 and after a 23 year hiatus, began my return to running in January 2010. I started with the base mileage schedule and then moved on to the marathon training schedule. Last week in Philadelphia on November 21st, I completed my first ever marathon in 3:13:19 and qualified for Boston on my first attempt! Does this system work? DAMN RIGHT IT DOES! I will be using it again for the NYC marathon and for Boston. Thanks so much for putting this on the web!
I completed my first marathon last Sunday at age 47. The 42K distance is a little less than a kilometer for every year of my age. The experience was great as I ran it non-stop, no walking! I started running about a year ago and followed the training schedules on this site. While I can't say I followed the program religiously, I never missed a long run and most important, listened to my body. I trained injury free and completed the marathon feeling great with only mild stiffness. I have no doubt that this web site was material to my accomplishment. Thank you!
In June, 2009 I started running to help me quit smoking. By the new year, I had resolved to run the 2010 Chicago Marathon. Using your program for a training schedule, I completed it in 4:37. Thanks!
The training charts worked like a charm. I just finished my 2nd New York Marathon injury free. Thanks for the virtual coaching!
I just wanted to send a huge THANK YOU for posting this training schedule and for keeping this information a free resource. I have always been a runner; however, only started running in road races about a year ago. I ran my first half marathon in 1:52 in the spring without following a training schedule. I decided to run my first marathon this fall and used your schedule to train for it. And I must say I am more than happy with the results. My split at the 13.1 mark of the marathon was 14 minutes faster than my time for the half marathon AND I was able to qualify for Boston! Thanks again for posting this wonderful resource! I plan on following the schedule again to train for Boston.
I'm 55 years old and had run some 5Ks and 10Ks for fun over the years. About 10 months ago I decided to train for a marathon and discovered your program. I followed the entire build-up schedule and then tackled the marathon training schedule. I had fun running two half-marathons during the course of training. The timing of these fit well into the training schedule. Yesterday I completed my first marathon in just over four hours. I had confidence in knowing what my body should expect and I finished with a smile on my face. It's now 24 hours after the race and I feel great.
It'll probably take me awhile to digest what I've accomplished. But I can say unequivocally that I could not have been better prepared. It's been an interesting physical and mental journey over the better part of a year, and your guidance allowed me to enjoy it in a methodical way.
Cherry Hill, NJ
Your website provides a very structured and step by step approach. It fulfilled all my needs… thanks!
I used to be a collegiate cross country runner, but hadn't run in about a year. Your mileage build ups and training advice was a HUGE help in training for my very first half marathon. I signed up with only five weeks to train, although I hadn't been running- at all. (Yes, I know, bad!). The race ended up being pretty fun, thanks to this website. I referred to it often and ran farther than I ever had before. My final time was 2:00:59. Now, it’s on to the next one! I just have to get under the two hour mark now. Cheers!
“Crazy”… your marathon training schedule worked! I started running regularly last September 2009. Before, I ran only when I felt like it, perhaps once or twice within a two week period if that. I began with the marathon training schedule fairly quickly thinking I might take a go at the Seattle Marathon, two months later in November. However, I realized it would simply be "stupid" to push it without a real running base.
I kept running fairly regularly through the winter months, mixing in backcountry skiing and a little cycling. In March, I decided to register for the June 26th Rock n Roll Marathon and went back on the training schedule. Bottom line is I finished in 3:38 and qualified at age 57 for the Boston Marathon my first time out. As I said… "crazy"!
I had a blast and although I thought I would be a one-time marathoner just for the experience, I’m now seriously looking at working to break 3:30 and running Boston. Thanks for your website, very helpful for the self-coached runner. Maybe it's time to join a club?
I've always been in athletics and play a lot of intramural/city-league basketball but I never took the plunge and tried a marathon. I love running for recreation/relaxation but nor more that six miles at a time. To prepare me for my first marathon, I followed your training schedule with the exception of making my longest run on Saturdays instead of Sundays. As my mileage increased, so did my stamina. Needless to say, when I ran my marathon I was completely prepared for the "wall" at the 23-mile mark. The strength I gained from following this schedule paid dividends. Not just that, but following the schedule and recommendations also helped me control my diet throughout the program so I could have the nutritional base to complete the weekly mileage. After one month off, I'm going to follow the training again to get ready for an upcoming race in October. Thanks!
I feel great. Thank you so much! I am 235 lbs. and followed your schedule to the letter. I did a half marathon in 1:44 and a full in 3:50. I am still active and have recommended this site to every runner that I meet. My goal is to qualify for Boston. Thanks again.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Today is the first time I have ever been on your website. Unknown to me, in 2009 at age 41, I used your training schedule (which I found it on different site) to run my first marathon in 3:53. I was never a runner until six years ago and never had a marathon on my mind until I had a foot injury in July of 2008. I couldn't run at all and finally went to the doctor in November of 2008. I told him I was a runner and he replied that with my feet, I would never run a marathon. That's all I needed! I resumed running and eight months later, thanks to your mileage buildup and marathon training schedules, I completed my first marathon! I'm glad I found this site this time to help me prepare for my second one.
I am 32 years old and decided I needed to try something new. I found this website and decided to follow the training schedules to run my very first marathon. However, I had to make up my own mileage buildup to even get to the four mile starting point of Schedule I as I couldn't run a mile! I started my training December 26, 2008 and completed the Chicago Marathon on October 11, 2009 with my husband. I then completed the Birmingham Alabama Marathon four months later on February 14, 2010. I am still running and looking forward to my next marathon!
Greetings! I am in week six of the mileage buildup plan. I am training for the Long Beach Marathon. I’ve lost 20 lbs. and just ran six miles at a 10 minute pace. Thanks for the great info!
After having my third child in the midst of one of my best friends undergoing a horrible battle with breast cancer, I decided I wanted to run in a breast cancer marathon in her honor. I would run occasionally a couple of miles but never what it would take to complete a marathon. First I found the marathon I wanted to run in and then I found the right training schedule – the one from your website. I did it! I followed the schedule almost 100%, making adjustments for family commitments and a full time work schedule. I ran in the breast cancer marathon in Jacksonville, Florida and I completed it in 4:37.20 (55th of 162 in my age group; I'm 38). I am thrilled with the finish. I was able to complete something for myself and my friend. Thanks for being my trainer and coach!
I am in the final month before my first Boston Marathon. Four weeks ago at age 57, I ran my first marathon in Bermuda in 4:01:23 (1:50 first half and 2:11 the second half). I followed your schedule very well to prepare for that race and now want to cut 15 minutes off of that time to qualify for Boston next year (I need a 3:45). Thanks!
My daughter and I used your training schedules to prepare for our first marathon, Kiawah Island, SC on December 12, 2009. Neither of us had any injuries and finished the race feeling strong. The progressive build up and rest days were essential. We have since run a half marathon and look forward to more races and will continue to use your training guides.
After doing years of 5K and 10K fun runs, I wanted to challenge myself by training and completing a marathon. Your website was very helpful. I stuck to the training schedule as a part of my daily routine and although the long runs were tough, they were the key to finishing strong and injury free. I completed the Chicago Marathon in 4:15 and inspired to do another this year! Thanks so much.
Round Lake Beach, IL
In June 2009 I discovered this site and decided to train for the Dallas White Rock Marathon, something I've always wanted to do. Thanks to this great plan, I was able to pull off a time of 3:28.13, better than I could have ever expected and about 17 minutes faster than what I wanted. Thanks!
College Station, TX
I followed your program on my first marathon and was able to complete it in 3:34; I am very satisfied with my completion time, not bad for a mid 40s person. MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS (Thank you very much)!
El Paso TX
I decided in June 2009 to train for a marathon, something I've always wanted to do. I found this site and immediately began training for the Dallas White Rock Marathon on December13th.
Thanks to this great plan I was able to pull off a time of 3:28.13, better than I could have ever expected and about 17 minutes faster than what I wanted. Thanks!
College Station, TX
After having my baby last November, I decided that it's time I fulfill my dream of completing a marathon this year. (I guess it is the next most painful thing to childbirth.)! When I found your site, I was really happy to have a free guide for first-time marathoners like myself. Hence, I devoured all the information available on your site and used your marathon training schedule as a guide to my training. I ran my first marathon yesterday and completed it in 4 hours, 7minutes. I'm overwhelmed and really proud of my achievement! I’m still following your advice on life after the marathon. Great site, really - Thanks!!!
I wanted to say “thank you”. Your website was very informative and helpful. I used both training guides posted. Before I started training for this marathon, I had never run more than two miles. I recently did my first marathon and the training prepared me better than expected.
New York, NY
I am 62 years old and have been a 'recreational' runner. My only competitions were Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile runs prior to retirement in 2004. Last May while watching "The Biggest Loser" on TV, my wife suggested I might run a marathon (which I have occasionally considered but never seriously). I selected the 2009 Outer Banks Marathon and found your marathon training website for my training guide. I followed the schedules pretty faithfully, modifying a few times for injuries and illness. I finished in 4:26:44, 815 out of 1811 finishers and 13th out of 35 men in age bracket 60-64. I was thrilled! I really was healthy and rested and incurred no injury (other than aches and pains that have already gone away). Thanks so much for a helpful, informative and encouraging website.
Recently I ran a 3:58 marathon at the Niagara International and qualified for Boston on my 61st birthday. I believe that my 2.5 mile walks every morning combined with my four days of running in the mountains kept me injury free (loosened my joints and muscles before my runs with walking, and built endurance with constant mountains). Also I ran in a specific area so that I was able to visualize my final miles as part of my training program. Niagara had water/Gatorade stops at each mile and I used them as an opportunity to walk for about 30 seconds per mile. I deliberately set my pace so that I followed the 3:45 pace bunny for about half of the race and then ran in fear of the 4:00 pace bunny, who I never encountered until after the race. I added only five minutes on my second half of the marathon, so I felt good. No injuries, just joy. I knew that if I could make it to 24 miles, I could make the rest of the race on adrenaline, which I did.
Sutton, Quebec, Canada
Before this year the most I had ever run was four miles and I was only running 2.75 regularly. I started your "Mileage Buildup Schedule I" in February and went straight into the "Marathon Training Schedule II" in June. I finished my first marathon this October in 4:23:54 and couldn't be more pleased.
I am looking forward to running another marathon and continuing to use your program. Because of my running success, two of my friends have decided to run half marathons, and I have written custom training programs for them based on your teachings. Your website was always my go to for information about training. Thanks for making such an easy to use and comprehensive website!
Anne Marie W.
Falls Church, VA
I am currently training for my first half marathon in March and finding this site very useful. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!
Wales, United Kingdom
I just completed the 19 week mileage buildup program. This Sunday I ran the United Healthcare Half Marathon in Newport, Rhode Island. Frigid temperatures, a driving rain, and wind gusts made the weather unforgiving. I was able to finish the race in1 hour, 55 seconds. My dream goal was under two hours and my real goal was 2 hours, 12 minutes.
I pushed myself past the limits in these adverse conditions. I am 56 and started with two young men beside me. I got ahead of them in the race and at sometime after mile 6, I noticed them in front of me. One man was coaching and motivating the other. The pace was a little faster than my regular pace but I forced myself to keep up with them over the next six miles until the one being coached slowed down. I then went ahead the last mile along the beach where the wind was holding us back. I gave it my all and when I saw I was going to finish under two hours, I tried to break 1:55 and came in at 1:55:08. I was satisfied that I had exceeded my objectives. I followed the program almost exactly and ran 15 miles two weeks before the half marathon to see if I could make it. Being 56 with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I am very concerned after the deaths of the three Detroit runners. I’m also concerned about starting Schedule II - Marathon Training. I am scheduled to run the Boston marathon in April 2010.
Two days ago I ran my first marathon in my hometown of Chicago! To think that seven months ago this was simply a dream with neither a plan nor commitment is unbelievable.Using your website I prepared a plan working backwards from race day and realized that my then unstructured 20 miles (or so) per week fit into Schedule I. I decided this was it – I’m in, I can do this! Only a 10 percent increase per week max and six and a half months of training!
I set my goals: 1. Get to the start line, 2. Get to the finish line, 3. Feel “good” at the end, and 4. Do it under 4:10:00. I only deviated from the plan when my body told me to (one less 20-miler than you recommended and almost a week off when I got sick). I watched my diet, stretched religiously, and revisited your website regularly for inspiration and more advice (shoes, blisters, etc.).
Finally I was ready. All I had to do was trust my training – what awesome advice that is! And then I ran for 4 hours, 9 minutes and 11 seconds – all with a huge smile. It was actually FUN including the HUGE sense of personal satisfaction.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and expertise with us. There is no way I could have accomplished this goal (or should I say these goals) without your website!
I just finished running the 2009 Portland Marathon. It was my first marathon. I had always wanted to run one, but never committed to the idea. I finally made that decision eight weeks ago and came across this website. It had a ton of information that was very helpful. I must say that your schedule was great and followed it with very little modification. I ran the race with a friend of mine and I finished in 3:51 and felt great at the end. I think I could have run it faster, but was nervous about going empty before the end. Your schedule prepared me well and I feel I can do better on my next one. Thanks for all of the awesome information and I will recommend this site to my friends. The plan is to get my wife ready for one now using this site. Thanks again!
I am a 36 year old kiwi guy and I bought my first pair of running shoes mid-2008 in an effort to get fit for a corporate event I had signed up for later on that year. The first run I did lasted 400 meters before I had to stop. It didn't help that I weighed 104 kilograms (230 pounds in your weight). I kept going and started to enjoy it and after completing a couple of 10K run sections for a team duathlon event decided to take on what to us mere mortals is surely the biggest physical challenge available. I found this website and followed the Schedule II all the way. In September 2009 I completed my first marathon (the Picturesque Dunedin Harbour Marathon) in 3 hours, 50 minutes. It was 25 minutes slower than my goal time but it was a lot warmer that morning compared to my long run training which I did through the winter. That aside, it was an amazing experience, one I would recommend to everyone. I would like to thank this website; the advice and training schedule were invaluable.
Dunedin, New Zealand
I am a 34 year old stay-at-home mother of one. When I decided to train for a marathon, I found this site. I followed the mileage build-up schedule, used the site for nutrition information, and also would refer to the site for motivation. I just finished the Marathon de Montreal on September 13th in 4 hours and 45 minutes. I was comfortable the whole run and even walked around the city afterwards and went out to a nice dinner. The site is absolutely correct in that you will feel good while running the entire marathon and that your time will be a minute and a half less per mile than your training time. This is a great resource for a first-timer like me. Good luck in your training everyone!
San Juan, Puerto Rico
I started running as a New Year’s resolution in 2008 and haven't stopped for the last year and a half. I have six half marathons under my belt and decided it was time to grow up. I found your site and have been following it religiously! I will be running the ING Marathon in Miami on January 29, 2010. When I recently woke up at the usual 4:30 am to do my run, I looked at the schedule and said, "Good, it's a short run of only eight miles"! That's when I realized that your training really, really works. I never thought that eight miles would feel like a short run! Thank you for the great advice. I can't wait for the big day.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Never a runner, at 38 I decided I needed to run a marathon before I turned 40. I began training two months before I turned 39 (June) and ran my first marathon in Portland, Oregon in October of the same year. I followed your marathon training program and trained on my own. I finished the race in 3:41:40 qualifying me for the Boston Marathon. I continued training with the Marathon Training Schedule II and ran Boston (my second marathon) in 3:44:45, qualifying me again for next year's Boston. My husband is now training for the Portland Marathon in hopes to get a Boston qualifying time and run it with me in 2010. He also is not a runner and is using the information from this website and others. To be continued!
In November 1998, I went to New York City to encourage a friend of mine who was running the NYC Marathon. At the expo, I heard of Sam Gadless who ran his first marathon in 1992 at the age of 85. So here he was in 1998, at the age of 91 telling us that if he could run a marathon, anyone could. Silly me, I believed him.
After running around the park, near my home, I started to search the internet for training programs and found your site. Everything I needed was here! Sure enough, in November 1999, I was in New York City and finished in 4 hours, 6 minutes. I completed four other marathons and stopped running in Aug 2001.
Here I am eight years later, using your site once more, and started training again a month ago. As was the case 10 years ago, EVERYTHING is here. Thanks for all the information.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
With the help of the mileage build-up and the training schedules on your site, I completed my first marathon in my target time of four hours. Thanks!
Thank you for all the counsel and tips on this site. I had been running 10K races all along and just finished my first marathon, the Mad City Marathon in Madison, Wisconsin. Due to work related travel, a couple of fevers, and a bout with runner's knee, I was not able to keep up with the running schedule fully, but I followed the underlying principle of it and paid a lot of attention to my hydration and nutrition during the run. I’m happy to say that it worked out great for me. Given the amount of training I was able to put in, I was aiming for a four hour finish; I did it in 4:03. But the best part was that I had minimal post race issues, just some soreness in the legs but nothing else. I must have trained right as per this website. Thank you very much!
As an Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Specialist, I will testify to the legitimacy of this marathon training strategy. Seek professional medical evaluation prior to instituting any exercise program. All too often, I witness the unfortunate outcomes of well intentioned but poor training technique in my office, clinic, and operating room. Often, athletes, weekend warriors, individuals wanting to get or stay in shape, consequently end up as my patient. Typically, they try to do too much too soon, or are unaware of the training variables, FITT...Frequency, Intensity, Type and Time and need for rest and recovery following training sessions. This marathon training program incorporates how often (frequency), how hard (long steady distance), how long (time or mileage) and sport specific type (running distance). Indeed, this is a solid program to prepare for and not only finish but also 'win' a marathon. I have used this program for my first marathon, and will continue to do so for future ones as well!
I am a 44 year old woman from Palos Verdes Estates, CA. Together with my friend Erin, age 50, we finished the LA marathon yesterday, our first! We followed the Marathon Training Schedule II like it was religion for 18 weeks. We finished in 4 hours and 46 minutes and are on cloud nine. Besides some obvious soreness, we're feeling awesome. Thanks for the great coaching! I will never forget turning the corner, thousands of people cheering, and seeing the mile-26 marker with the finish banner not far behind!!
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
I am now 20 years old, and hated running for nearly 19 years of my life. While having a large school load my second year of college, I still realized that I had a lot of free time since I was not working. I quickly became sick of just lounging around after already completing a sprint triathlon the previous summer. It was during that summer that I had started to fall in love with running. Thanks to this great site and the mileage buildup and marathon training schedules, I was able to complete the Green Bay Marathon in 3:55:54, just under my goal of four hours. It's a great accomplishment, and throughout this whole process my life has truly become increasingly better every day. Thank you!
Last June, I decided to run a marathon. After a quick Google search, I came across your website. I followed both mileage schedules on the website. Eleven months later, I completed my very first marathon, with a half under my belt as well. I am in great shape and am incredibly proud of my accomplishments. Thank you for your guidance and support. This website is incredibly helpful.
This web site was very helpful to me as I prepared for my first marathon which I completed January 25th in Carlsbad, CA. I especially like the three levels of goals you described in your site. My first goal was to finish the race, the second was to finish without walking, and my third was to finish in under four hours, which I thought was really a stretch as this was my first marathon. And guess what, a 3:49 finish time! My sense of accomplishment stayed with me a week later! Now, I'm looking for my next challenge - I'm thinking an extra hilly15-K trail run. Anyway, I thought running a marathon was impossible a year ago, too overwhelming. But you can do it too… Just put in the training, especially the long runs, and the human mind can accomplish anything! Thanks for the good advice on several fronts from this web site.
San Diego, CA
I am 54 years old and I started training for my first marathon (2009 Disney World Marathon) approximately eight months before the event. I found the State of the Art Marathon Training web site through a search and started using the information to get ready for the run. I might mention the only running I had done prior to this point was two 10K's about 20 years apart. I was not a serious runner, so I needed a lot of help and I found it at this site. I just returned from Orlando and I have said two things I never thought I would when people ask how it went. First, I really enjoyed the race and second, I think I want to run another marathon. With the help of the training guide, I was able to run the entire race without having to stop and I finished in under five hours, accomplishing both of my goals. Being in condition due to my training to enjoy myself and interact with the spectators and other racers was a bonus. Thanks for the help, couldn't have done it without you.
Thanks so much for helping me achieve a life
goal of running a marathon. I have a benign, stress-induced heart
arrhythmia and my doctor suggested that running would help me
manage my stress. I ran cross country and had done half marathons
previously so I decided it was time to revisit a life goal I had
of running a marathon I started with the mileage build-up schedule
and worked my way through the marathon training schedule. Yesterday
I ran the California International Marathon in 3:47:55. I'm already
planning what marathon I'll run next year, perhaps the Big Sur
or San Francisco Marathon. Thanks so much, Art. You're really
I am 43 years old, and had run no more than
10 miles before beginning your training program. The program built
both my physical and psychological stamina week by week. It was
hard work, but well structured to help me prepare. As a result,
I stood in the starting corral for the Twin Cities Marathon feeling
confident that I would finish. Heavy rain and wind came during
the race, but I was prepared! I finished 4:04 later, with a smile
on my face, thanks to your training program. Thanks!
Lake Elmo, MN
I want to say how great your running schedule
was for me. I followed the build up schedule and than the marathon
schedule. I ran my first marathon in Paris April 6. I am 66 years
old and wanted to run at least one marathon in my life. I had
to worry about leg and knee problems in the past but I followed
your schedule religiously. I’m happy to say that I was able
to finish in under the allotted time and completed one of the
things on my bucket list. The advice posted on your site kept
me from over training and was terrific. My advice to others: If
this is your first time, be patient and follow the total schedule
and you will succeed.
I have just started running again after a four-year
layoff. I had three children in consecutive years (so yes three
under three!). With such a busy family life and working, I found
it very difficult to get into any real training pattern in terms
of frequency and distance (16 km being my longest). I’ve
only been running again for a short while, four months ago; prior
to then, I was disappointed that I couldn’t even run a km!
Recently, I ran a full marathon without any major problems. With
this site’s help, I will run another marathon, only better.
A sincere “thank you” for the training
advice, schedules and comprehensively detailed information posted
on this website. I am overjoyed to have completed my first marathon
in fours hours, 35 minutes in my native city. It’s hard
to describe the feeling in words. I witnessed a very sad casualty
at the 24-mile sign for a runner and that put things into perspective
for me. I saw finishing marathon then as a main goal and time
factor then to be a bonus. I injured my heel approaching the 20-mile
mark and with a combination of my own stubbornness and positive
mental thinking got myself through to the finish line. I have
no doubt that if it had happened earlier in the race, I would
have had to retire.
From my experiences, I’d like to share
some tips for other runners: (1) Doing 10K and half-marathon races
are great preps to running a full marathon. (2) I learned that
resting is just as important as training; related to that, listening
to your body as opposed to pushing oneself too hard. (3) I wore
a hydration pack which I found a great help; it also contains
a compartment to carry power gels, spare socks, etc.
I honestly don’t know how people do many
marathons as I found it very tough on the body. They are legends
in my view! Many thanks.
Cork City, Ireland
Excellent content and program! I started running two years ago,
and this site helped me prepare for my first half-marathon a year
ago. After another great half-marathon experience a few months later,
I decided to sign up for the Buffalo Marathon. Virtually all of
my information and coaching came from the website. I carried the
Marathon Training Schedule II in my wallet and stuck to it with
only minor adjustments (moving runs a day from time to time) for
snowstorms or work conflicts. I stayed healthy and motivated, and
the marathon couldn't have gone better. I beat my stretch goal and
actually qualified for Boston with a 3:13:50! Thank you, thank you.
I'm going to use this program again and make only the smallest of
I just wanted to let you know how helpful your
website was as I trained for the Richmond Marathon which I completed
in 4:42. Thanks from someone who's really gotten the benefits
from your program!
I haven't run a Marathon since 2001, but decided
it was time to try one again, my fourth. Targeting the Kansas
City Marathon, I found this site by accident and have used the
training schedules and advice. I’ve found the Marathon Buildup
Schedule especially useful. In previous races, I jumped into a
training regimen battling injuries and fatigue and ended up ill-prepared.
This time is different… I’m feeling great and am looking
forward to the marathon.
Kansas City, MO
I followed your training schedule pretty closely.
I missed just a few mid-week runs but hit every long run. The
21 and 23-milers were brutal; I never felt so bad! I pushed on
and ran the New York Marathon, my first in 4:01:14. I was very
well prepared and would recommend your schedule to anyone... Thanks!
I weighted 293 pounds January 20, 2007. I looked at a picture and
decided to start running. It was incredibly hard at first for a
couple of reasons. I live in Aurora, CO (elevation about 5600 feet)
and my neighborhood is all extreme hills. Today I did eight miles,
the majority hills, and finished in an hour and six minutes. When
I visit my hometown of Las Vegas, I can now run 10-12 miles as if
it was a jog. I thank running for bringing me back to health. I
love it! My next goal is to run the Las Vegas or Chicago Marathon.
By the way I am 220 pounds now and am addicted to running. If I
don't run at least four days a week, I feel guilty! Thanks Art for
all the helpful information on this site!
Running San Diego’s Rock N Roll Marathon
was one of the hardest things I've ever done. You can't know how
you'll feel until you actually do it. This was my first marathon
but it was an amazing experience and I’ll be there again
next year! Thanks for providing all this training information.
San Diego, CA
Hi - I just want to thank Art for his great
book. I picked up running again four years ago, started participating
in races two years ago and went through 10Ks, half marathons,
and on April 15 the Paris Marathon, my first. The schedule and
advice worked great. I dragged Art's book long most everywhere,
and it now looks pretty used, but it is my favorite.
What a great program! I followed the training
schedule in preparation for my first marathon, the 2007 New Jersey
Marathon, and it worked great. Due to my fatigue at the end of
my 22-mile run in week 14, I must confess I had some slight doubts
I would be prepared. But, I shattered my goal of 3:50 and came
in under 3:30. Thank You!
I experienced a huge thrill and sense of personal
achievement on Saturday. My first marathon! A tough one to pick
first up, the Rotorua Marathon is a lap of a beautiful lake, although
the early torrential rain made it a little less scenic than usual.
I followed your initial training schedule, beginning as a very
infrequent runner in July last year. 18 weeks ago I stepped up
to the marathon training program and followed it almost completely,
missing only two shorter runs. I thoroughly enjoyed the variety
of distance and found it was reasonably easy to manage around
my other commitments. A couple of the longer runs had a 5.15am
start to accommodate my schedule, but not too much hardship. In
NZ we run in KMs, so I rounded each run up to the next KM to make
sure I was putting in enough work. I was lucky enough to be injury
free through my training...at least until my very last run. An
easy 7km run and I went and slightly strained a groin muscle.
The physio assured me it was minor and 'should probably' be okay.
It didn't stop me running but every step of the first 30kms was
quite painful, especially going downhill. The pain disappeared
after 30km, although returned with interest post-race. Most of
my training, except for the 30km+ runs was at about 5 minute per
KM pace (8 minute miles), which was exactly the pace I achieved
in the marathon. I finished in 3.31.07. I was still smiling through
the pain at the end, and did the second half about three minutes
slower than the first half. My goal (apart from finishing) was
do beat four hours so I was thrilled with the run. I highly recommend
your program and approach. It certainly worked for me, and I'm
already looking forward to my next marathon challenge in October.
Auckland, New Zealand
Thank you for providing such an excellent training
resource. I have been a short distance runner for 22 years. When
my sister asked me to come to Carlsbad to do a marathon, I was
hesitant. It had never been a personal goal for me. Responding
to the expectations of my big sister, I signed up in July for
the January marathon. A fellow runner suggested I "download
a training program and stick to it." I did! I finished my
first marathon in Carlsbad, CA in 3:40:35. I felt a great sense
of relief when I finished, but felt most proud of sticking to
the training program without fail. Thank you for all the information
and excellent preparation program.
Winston Salem, NC
With Art's guidance and support, I went from
a novice runner to finishing my first Marathon ( London) in just
a few months. I had a great experience, while others were dropping
like flies. Two days later, and I feel great, ready to run again.
London, Great Britain
I first found this website about 18 months ago
after finishing (miserably) my first half marathon. I had been
running for 25 years but never progressed past the 10K point.
But at 50 I suppose I was having a midlife crisis. But after the
miserable experience I started looking for some training directions
and found marathontraining.com. I had another half marathon coming
so I started the training schedule. Three months later I finished
the half with a smile on my face and 15 minutes faster. Following
the schedule I trained and completed my first marathon last fall
with my husband and 23 year old son looking on. My son and I ran
the Mardi Gras Marathon in February together and next weekend
my husband and I will run his first marathon together. It is a
wonderful program and is very flexible. One last word…Get
your family out with you. It is amazing just how close you can
become doing all those long runs together. Thanks Art!
North Potomac, MD
In July of 2006 I got the "brilliant"
idea of wanting to see how fast I could run 1 mile. Before this,
I had never run. Matter-of-fact, I had always hated running. I
had never been an athletic person by any means so for me to want
to run, seemed pretty crazy. But, I went out and ran one mile
and my time was 10:15. I waited a couple days and ran again. My
time was the same. After a few attempts, I realized I needed to
be doing something different if I wanted a different result. My
mom saw my new found interest and bought me your book, “The
Everything Running Book". I was excited to find the beginner
schedule included inside. For me, this was a "no-brainer".
I just follow the schedule. And that is exactly what I did. It
was awesome to come home and check off another day knowing that
I was exercising and getting better. By the time I finished the
beginner schedule, I no longer cared about my one-mile time. I
now wanted to run a marathon. So I moved from the beginner schedule
to the mileage buildup schedule and then on to the 1/2 marathon
schedule. On April 14, 2007 I ran my very first 1/2 marathon.
IT WAS AWESOME! I ran it in 2:05:13. That equaled a 9:33 pace!
I couldn't believe it! When I finished, one of the first things
I thought was - BRING ON THE MARATHON! I am now beginning the
marathon training schedule and preparing to run my first full
marathon on September 15, 2007. Thank you for all the information
that you have provided. I have managed to stay injury free and
loving running every day! My life is completely changed! Between
changing my eating habits and running - I have lost over 85 lbs
in one year. I am a completely different person than I was before
I received your book. THANK YOU!
I finished my first marathon in Phoenix in January.
I felt well prepared physically and mentally and ran a 3:05:19.
I owe a lot of credit to the training schedule found in this website.
I began training last May and fell in love with running the further
in the schedule I got. It built my mileage up slowly, keeping
me free from injury. I did make some modifications to the second
half of the training (adding more 20+ runs), but I kept with the
three on, one off philosophy of the schedule. Thank you for this
website as the information was invaluable. My next goal is a sub-35
minute Bolder-Boulder and then a sub-three hour Honolulu Marathon.
I'm an occasional runner who decided to run
my first marathon a few years ago, and picked up a bad case of
shin splints during training. I ran the marathon anyway (Blue
Angel Marathon in Pensacola, FL) and finished in just under 4
hours. The second time around, I used the Schedule 1/Schedule
2 approach on this website, followed it faithfully, and finished
in 3:14:53 (Bay State Marathon in Lowell, MA). Thanks so much!
I'm using it for my next marathon too - Athens, Greece in 2007.
After watching the Chicago marathon in 2005,
I really wanted to run a marathon. I came across your website,
and started the build-up schedule in January 2006. I then moved
onto schedule II early in the summer. It was a tough training
schedule, but it REALLY paid off! Several of my friends have suffered
through their first marathon and ended up walking around mile-20.
On the other hand, I completed the 2006 Chicago Marathon, without
even thinking about walking, in 3:55 (my goal was four hours).
THANK YOU! You have helped to create a runner for life - I'm planning
two marathons in 2007!!
I just finished the Dallas White Rock Marathon.
This was my first marathon in 23 years and 10th of my career.
I found Marathontraining.com a great source of information for
me. Not actively running for over 20 years and having nine other
marathons under my belt might give the feeling that one already
knew everything about running… Not so! When I started looking
into this great website, I found that it taught me so much of
what I needed to know about "today’s" running
requirements and what a runner might need to know, 23 years later.
Being much older at 53, your sub-topical pages on tapering, packing,
injury prevention and treatment as well and the marathon training
schedule helped me tremendously. Just having a site to make you
feel better about a situation you are experiencing or how to avoid
big mistakes, made all the difference in the world for me to be
able to finish the marathon. Thanks for this great site and I
will surely share with others...Thanks!
Last year I ran my first marathon in Myrtle
Beach, SC at age 49. I have been running about two years. My goal
was 3:15. I came close finishing in 3:19:23. I went through the
1st half in 1:30 but at 22 miles became dehydrated and dizzy and
had to start walking. I attribute part of my problem to only having
12 weeks to train with your program and not getting in enough
long runs. This year will be different! I am following your program
pretty closely and have already done my first longer run (16 miles)
at a nice 7:30 pace and felt like I could have gone even further.
My goal this year is 3:05 and I believe if I can adhere to your
program I will attain it. Thank you for making it available to
all of us.
2nd marathon, Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving Day; 2nd time using
training plan; 2nd time running on course; PR by 19 minutes! Splits:
Half Marathon -1:54:23, Finish - 3:56:35. Thanks so much!
I recently completed the New York marathon and found this site absolutely
perfect in helping with all aspects of my preparation. I had never
really done much running before I decided to do the marathon (apart
from playing soccer) about eight months ago and was lucky to find
this site. All the advice given here was of great use to me and
the mileage build-up and actual marathon build-up schedules left
me feeling as prepared as I possibly could be for the marathon.
I can't recommend this site any more. Many thanks!
Great training schedule! I caught up with the Mileage Buildup Schedule
II about five weeks before my first marathon and followed it scrupulously
(having done rather regular training before, including some long
runs of up to three hours). Recently, I completed my first marathon
(the 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau Marathon near Lyon, France) in 4 hours,
17 minutes in a relative comfort and easiness. Overall, I trained
12 weeks for this race; therefore I believe if one follows the 17-week
schedule, the result must be fantastic. I'll try it for my next
marathon. Again, thanks!
I am 47 with no recent history of running and started training for
the Dublin City Marathon 10 weeks before the event. I set about
my task building up to about 12 miles per week with no runs over
five miles. I looked at some websites, many of which scared me.
They gave me no hope, so I avoided them. Well I completed the marathon
in 4-1/2 hours. It was just fantastic and I enjoyed every minute
of it. Now I have what they call a shin splint, so I’m resting
and going to follow your schedule as I start running again.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Starting from
nothing and diligently following your training schedules I recently
completed the New York City Marathon in 4:08:19. Having your website
as a resource makes me feel like I have a competitive advantage
over anyone who doesn't. There isn't a point or bit of advice
missed, and the accuracy is unbelievable... You have me hooked!
I have been a minimal runner until I decided to do a marathon and
ran into this website. The information on this site guided me through
most of the steps required for me to train, eat, treat injuries,
experiment, and finally complete a marathon. So I ran the 2006 Marine
Corps Marathon in 3:47:14. I'm an extremely happy marathoner, which
I wasn't a day before! I tried to stick to the training schedule
except when I got slightly injured with shin splints. All content
on this site is great, from start to finish. This has been the best
guide that enabled me to train and finish my marathon. Thank you
and keep up the great job!
Being severely out of shape and weighing 230 pounds, I used this
site to prepare for my first half marathon (the Inaugural Colfax
Marathon in Denver, May 2006). It was more of a dream goal than
anything else. But using the mileage buildup program from the site
along with the half marathon training schedule, I successfully completed
the race. This even included a six week time period in February
that I wasn't able to train regularly. Frankly I couldn't have done
it without the guidance of State of the Art Marathon Training. Thanks!
I appreciated the training schedule from this site very much. Following
it nearly to the letter allowed me to finish my first marathon in
3:45 (though I trained to finish in 4:20). Now that I've completed
a marathon, I know how hard I will push myself given the opportunity!
It's allowed me to learn a lot about myself, both as an athlete
and a person. I also really appreciated the "Life After the
Marathon" section, something I didn't even think about until
after the event. Reading it enabled me to identify with my feelings
of depression and emptiness, though that sounds dramatic. It was
also nice to have a guide in getting back into running again - very
helpful. Throwing conventional cautionary advice to the wolves,
I am currently training for my first 50K this coming March. I couldn't
help it, it was begging me! Again, thanks.
I recently finished my first marathon in Chicago! I read your "Marathon
Recovery" suggestions and found it extremely helpful. Thanks!
Belfast, N. Ireland
I just ran the Melbourne Marathon having used your website as the
cornerstone of my training. I was unfit and a true beginner in February,
2006 when I commenced the "Mileage Buildup Schedule I".
At that time, 8K was my long run and anything over 10K was a huge
effort. I worked through to the end of that schedule and into "Schedule
II", the 18 week marathon program. I suddenly found myself
running and enjoying runs of 20 to 25K, seeing my city close up.
The only time I was injured was whilst playing other high impact
sport, which I think is a major mistake. Once I cut this out, my
training was virtually injury-free. The best bit of the program,
the low mileage week every four weeks, was gold and a great reward
for three weeks of hard running. The limited mid-week distances
were great for combining work and family. The Sunday run distances,
the focus of each week, were always challenging. Into the last 12
weeks of training, I altered the schedule by cutting out the Saturday
run as I considered the rest to be of much more benefit than a short
run. As a substitute, I would have a slow walk or a swim, thus leaving
Sunday for the big effort. Overall I'd like to thank you for putting
together a great program that got me over the line in my first marathon
just under my target time of 3-1/2 hours.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Thanks for all your assistance in helping me train for my first
marathon: Portland, Oregon. The marathon went great, even the final
four miles! I am happy to say that I felt strong all the way through.
Take care and thanks for everything.
Thanks for all the help you’ve given me. Physically, I feel
great and have gotten my “gut” back into running. I
recently set a PR, running a half-marathon here in 1:35:45. Overall,
I feel very strong and confident. I couldn't have made it to this
point without your advice and guidance, and again, for that, I thank
Ann Marie C.
Hello! Your site is wonderful and has been so helpful for me. I'll
be running the 2007 LA marathon, and I've used your site for months
before formal training begins with a training team. Thanks to you,
I'll be ready to keep up with the pack when training starts next
week.Thanks again for such a wonderful site for marathon hopefuls!
Los Angeles, CA
At the beginning of this year I decided I wanted to run a marathon,
this from a girl who was only running three miles a week. I followed
your Mileage Buildup Schedule (Schedule I) throughout the month
of January and then moved on to the Marathon Training Schedule (Schedule
II) in February. I'm happy to say I completed my first marathon
on June 11, 2006 – The North Olympic Discovery. At week 14
of the training program I was cursing you for the 23 mile long run…
On marathon day, I was thanking you!
At the beginning of this year I decided I wanted
to run a marathon, this from a girl who was only running three
miles a week. I followed your mileage buildup schedule throughout
the month of January and then moved on to the marathon training
schedule (Schedule II) in February. I'm happy to say I completed
my first marathon on June 11, 2006 – The North Olympic Discovery.
At week 14 of the training program I was cursing you for the 23
mile long run… On marathon day, I was thanking you!
Wow! I have been a runner for a long time but never really sticking
to a strict schedule and never running more then six miles a day,
three to four times a week. I decided for some crazy reason to run
a marathon in Lincoln, NE on May 7, 2006. I defeated the marathon
finishing in 3 hours and 43 minutes. My goal was just to finish!
I followed your schedule almost religiously and couldn't have done
it with out all the great tips and schedules. I tell everyone about
this website and the amount of generous advice it gives to runners
and people who would like to accomplish a goal. I'm getting ready
to run the Omaha marathon in September and can hardly wait. I love
marathons now and only want to improve my time! Thanks for all your
help and the tremendous amount of information I received. Thanks!
I followed your program at the advice of a friend
and had great success. I took it fairly slow following the mileage
buildup schedule which prepared me for the marathon training program.
I just finished my first marathon in Cleveland, in 4:29:08. My
goal was under 4:30. I think the program helped me to be totally
prepared for the marathon, and was injury free throughout the
whole preparation. The mixing up of the long and shorter runs
helps, and the scheduled featuring easy/hard weeks keeps things
relatively fresh. I’d recommend your program to anyone who
is interested in training for a marathon. I went from running
an occasional 5K to completing a marathon in under a year, and
without injury… Thanks!
Beaver Creek, OH
Last year, I ran my first marathon, which I
thought I was well-prepared for. I finished right at four hours,
but the last six miles were torture! I found your website this
January, and followed the advice from it very closely. This past
May, I ran the Mad City Marathon (Madison, WI), and the difference
was tremendous. I knew I was ready, but the temperature was almost
80 degrees at the starting line. I was shooting for 3:20 but adjusted
my goals due to the heat and humidity (the course was actually
closed at 5 hours, 15 minutes due to these conditions). I finished
in a time of 3:43, placing 81st out of 1200 registered runners,
about 400 of whom did not complete the course. The last six miles
were actually enjoyable this year, as I passed all those who were
struggling to finish. I’ll make a Boston qualifying time
this year, thank you!
I am half way through Schedule I towards running
the New York Marathon in November. I am a total beginner. I recently
completed the Long Island Half Marathon today in 2 hours and 10
minutes. I think your workouts and website are top notch. Thank
Essex County, NJ
I just completed my first marathon in Boston
on April 17th. Though I have been an avid runner for years, I
have never gone the extra step to train for a marathon. With family
commitments (4 kids) and a full time job, it seemed an impossible
feat. In retrospect as I evaluate my reasons for the run, the
time investment and $$ that goes along with shoes, clothing, etc.
I realize this was one of the most groundbreaking personal experiences
of my 40 years of life. The fortitude needed, self-discipline/motivation
absolutely mandatory, boosted my belief in myself and my personal
limitations (or lack thereof). The payoff was rich as my self
esteem soared and pride overfloweth. I will certainly continue
this training to challenge myself once again this fall....and
I was a 400-meter hurdler in college, oh, ten
years ago, and I never ran longer than a five-mile run…
ever. I used your website to run my first (and probably only)
marathon last year. I did your mileage buildup and the training
schedule. I didn't follow it exactly, as I get stress fractures
running a lot and I just didn't particularly enjoy long distance
(although that seems to have changed a bit)! So I would take a
step class and spinning class in lieu of running two days during
the week. I always, without fail, did the entire long run each
and every week. It was difficult because I trained and completed
the marathon on my own. But your schedule and site got me through
it!! I ran it in 4 hours, 18 minutes… Thanks so much!!!
March 18th, I completed the half marathon in
Moab, UT and I lived! It took me 2:25 and the last three miles
were not the best. I thought perhaps I would have a small blister
on my little left toe, but when I removed my shoes, four of my
toes were black on the ends! Perhaps my shoes were too small?!
I didn't have much help in training. Okay, my help consisted of
my husband telling me how fast other people were completing half-marathons!
Which, as you might have guessed was more of a let down than a
help. Finally a friend gave me your website, which after reading
some of it, I decided to print out the whole thing for a complete
study. I am hoping to run a marathon before I turn 40 (which will
be this December) but I would like to be more prepared. So, I
am going to try out your schedule...Thanks!
I've always wanted to run a marathon and decided
to do it before my 40th birthday (take that, mother-nature)! I
just finished your build-up schedule and my wife and friends are
amazed at my progress. I'm running nine-minute splits on my regular
runs and am up to 12.5 miles for my long runs. I owe a lot of
this to the sage advice and guidance of this site. What a fantastic
service… Thank you, thank you, thank you! Keep up the good
Santa Cruz, CA
After less than one-year's training, I have
fulfilled my dream in finishing my first marathon in 4:16 at 41
years old! I trained and tried to follow the schedule from your
website as much as possible. Marathon is a distance that demands
to be respected and there is no short cut in training for one.
The rewards of training for a marathon are a healthy diet and
a healthy body. I have never felt fitter in my whole life. Your
site is very informative and proven... Thanks!
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A great website... Cheers for the good work!
I started running in high school to get to know girls. Now I run
because of the discipline it takes and the satisfaction it gives.
I plan on running in the Las Vegas marathon this year. I have plenty
of time so I am going to absorb all the advice I can handle till
then through this site and conversing with other runners. I turn
19 in February and the age group I am in (19 and under) is only
like 1.5% of all marathon runners so it will be great to run it
while I am still a teenager. I have no idea what I will be able
to do since I have so much time but in general sub 4 would be nice.
I don’t want to limit my self though. I am also learning to
think smart and prevent injuries. Thanks for the effort put into
Las Vegas NV
I never thought I could be a runner but I started
taking jogs seven months ago. During this time I made some new
friends and decided to go watch one of them run the Twin Cities
Marathon in October 2005. Inspired by what I saw: the passion,
dedication, and camaraderie of the runners, I located this website
and started to read. Something was sparked in me that day, and
I decided to train for a marathon. I will begin the nine months
of training in January with the 2006 Twin Cities Marathon as my
goal. In the meantime I have been devouring the information on
this site and steadily increasing my running consistency, endurance
and speed. Thank you for all the valuable information and the
inspiration to continue running with a high and plausible goal
in front of me.
While contemplating running the 2005 Chicago Marathon, I was poking
around the net for information and came across your site. I used
your mileage buildup schedule and then the marathon training schedule.
Everything worked out perfectly! I would, and do recommend your
site to my coworkers who having seen me train and run and now wish
to run their own marathon.
This past December 11th, I Ran the Rock (Dallas,
Texas’s White Rock Marathon)! I started visiting this website
about two months before race day, following the charts almost
to the letter. My goal was a four-hour marathon and was on pace
the first half (1:59:08). Then at about the 35K-mark, I hit the
"WALL", finishing in 4:22:45. In February 2006, I may
run the Cowtown Marathon. I think I know what to do to get past
the "WALL". This website was invaluable. I would not
have been able to do this run without it. Again thank you so much
for this wonderful experience.
I just completed the 2005 California International Marathon using
your marathon training schedule and advice in your website. It was
my first and did it in 3:34:38. I ran the race in its entirety and
never hit the "wall." Thanks!
South San Francisco, CA
I am going to be running my first marathon in less than two weeks
now on Dec 18th. To be perfectly honest, when I started training
back in early August, I had serious doubts as to my ability to stick
with the training. This Website has been an invaluable source of
information and motivation. After four months of injury-free training,
I have fallen back in love with running and am confident that I
will reach my goal of four hours.
Thank you so much
After telling myself for years that I would - someday - run the
NYC marathon, I decided a year ago to try to do it this fall (2005).
I had never run more than four miles previously. I have used your
site as my primary training guide for the entire year, and it has
worked fabulously, despite a last-minute twist to my story... I
actually dropped out of the NYC Marathon mid-race due to a lingering
illness, but was able to reset my training in time to complete the
NCR Trail Marathon in Maryland just three weeks later! I finished
just under my goal time of four hours. The extensive advice you
give about shoes, nutrition, injuries, etc is terrific. But the
best thing for me was the excellent training schedules. I found
that following them as closely as possible made the entire process
not only feasible, but also really enjoyable! Most importantly,
I loved every minute of my first complete marathon. I didn't just
"survive" it; I finished strong. Thanks for everything!
I ran my first marathon in 3 hours, 35 minutes, 20 seconds thanks
to your training schedule. This was my first race of any kind ever!
Thanks for the help... first rate!
I'm a fitness and wellness coach, and when my paramour, who "hated
running but did it anyway”, told me about your site because
he was suddenly considering running a marathon, I knew that your
site must be something special. I sincerely appreciate the fact
that you dearly desire to help the running and marathoning community
with informative articles, while still offering your services for
hire. Similarly, many of the people who frequently visit my own
website tell me they do so because of its informative content; such
dedication provides ethics and trust to people, not simply a moneymaking
scheme. Thank you again. My paramour probably wouldn't run a marathon
if he couldn't research it on his own; he's a "do it myself"
guy. These people may not hire us but they certainly deserve quality
information to pursue their passions. Best regards and wishes!
Lauren Muney, CPFT and CHC
I recently ran my first marathon (the Marine Corps Marathon) and
wanted to let you know that I felt very prepared for the race after
following Schedules I and II of Coach Liberman's training programs.
I really appreciate that the training fits so easily into the routine
of a mom of two kids and a full time teacher! Thanks for your work
in researching a training program that works and for sharing it
Thanks so much for the training plan you designed for me. Sunday
was amazing... one of the best days and biggest accomplishments
of my life thus far. And to be honest, I wasn’t even that
tired after running 26.2 miles and not bad at all today, and I owe
that to you! I felt very well trained, prepared, and confident.
So, thanks very much for making my first marathon a success.
I just finished the Chicago Marathon in 4:37:33, not too fast, but
I enjoyed every single second of it thanks to your training program.
I felt completely prepared and had very few aches and pains the
following days. Thanks again - I can't wait for my next race!
I will be running my first 10K this Sunday, October 16, 2005 sponsored
by Adidas. I must say that your site is very informative especially
for people who are new to the sport of marathon. The tips, strategies,
knowledge, nutrition along with other articles related to conquering
a marathon are very valuable key to finishing a race of any distance.
Makati City, Philippines
Marathontraining.com is a great website with lots of good information
- very professionally done!
Hi, I am a 42 year old male and finished the Loch Ness Marathon
on October 2, 2005 in a time of 3 hours, 55minues. Whilst I am glad
I beat the 4-hour mark, I was a bit disappointed not to have met
my initial target of 3 hours, 30minutes. My training went well but
I only managed one big run of 21 miles two weeks before the run.
Most of this run was on the flat. Loch Ness was a very hilly run
which eventually took its toll. For my next marathon, I will make
sure that I have at least two long runs at least three weeks before
the event and l will make sure l pay attention to hill work. To
all fellow marathon runners, all the best and keep smiling! For
my efforts, l managed to raise £500 for charity and have great
memories. Your information and the way it is set out is first class.
I have no hesitation in recommending your methods, website, etc.
to my friends who have applied to run in the 2006 London Marathon.
I’ve run London before and my challenge for 2006 is a triathlon.
All the best…
Thanks to the extensive marathon training advice on your site, my
sister and I completed the Marine Corps Marathon this year. Best
I’m completing the Amsterdam Marathon in a couple of weeks.
I’m an experienced runner but have been having a real rough
time training lately. I was getting down in the dumps until I came
across your website recently. It’s made me realize that I’ve
been training incorrectly (I’m more used to 10k race training)
and I have heeded your excellent advice. Last night I did my first
long run in which I felt good almost all the way (20 miles), so
my confidence has been boosted immensely! I've only done two marathons
in 20 years of running and will be over the moon if I get anywhere
near my personal best of 2 hours, 56 minutes. Wish me luck; I’ll
keep you posted!
Over the past few months, I have been training for a marathon in
Choteau, Montana. This site has been motivational and given me inspiration
that I will definitely take to the race.
Great Falls, MT
I did my first marathon on Saturday and I’m already planning
my next. This website was my BIBLE! Thanks for all the useful information.
The course in Kansas City was filled with hills. It seemed like
the whole thing was one long hill. Thank god I did some hill work.
I'm hoping to go up to Minneapolis next fall. I'm from there and
I bet it's a much more scenic run. Thanks again… You were
a great help!
Kansas City, MO
I used your training program for my first three marathons. My wife
and I did Grandma's Marathon in 4:31. Our goal for the Fox Cities
Marathon was to run it in a time under 4:30 and completed it in
4:28! The last time I used your guide was to help me finish a marathon
under four hours. Not only did I accomplish my goal by running a
3:52, I kept getting faster for each of the last 16 miles! In the
past while using other schedules to train for marathons, I’ve
gotten injured three or four times. I believe the biggest benefit
of your training program is the lack of injuries if the plan is
followed. Your site is very helpful - Thank you!
Thanks for the comprehensive advice you provide in this programme.
I completed my first marathon two weeks ago, achieving my main goal
of running every step. It was hotter than expected and my time of
4:15 was slower than hoped for; however, at no stage did I doubt
that I could finish. Anxiety about an injury returning meant no
training runs over 18 miles. In a few months time I'll have another
go and plan to knock 30 minutes off by following your programme
more closely. In the meantime it's good to know that at age 41,
I can run 26.2 miles without stopping!
Love the site, great information. Thanks for all the help.
My co-workers and I have recently decided to train for the 2006
P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Arizona Marathon in
Phoenix. We were browsing the Internet and found your site - great
information, especially for newcomers like ourselves who don't know
the first thing about marathon running. So, we will be visiting
your site periodically to ensure we are on track! Thanks for creating
a site like this that is organized and informative. P.S. - You need
some photos of cute girls like us! Thanks a bunch...
Sarah T. (along with Whitney, Kim, and Blanca)
I've read many of the articles on your site for guidance and followed
your buildup and training schedules for my first marathon this past
weekend. I'm happy to report that I made it to marathon day injury
free and was able to complete the race 30 seconds below my goal
time! Thanks for putting together a great site with so much wonderful
information. It really, really helped keep me on track and answered
almost all of my questions. My next marathon is in one month…
My husband and I will be running our first marathon in October.
This site has been absolutely phenomenal as far as our training
needs. The training schedule is our running bible – Thanks!
Wow, this website is great, with lots of useful information. So
far I’ve run four half-marathon over the past few years but
will be running my first marathon in eight weeks time in Singapore.
The information from your website comes in very handy for me - Thanks.
Really great page with lots of useful running information! I plan
on doing a marathon next year and will use the material from your
website to train.
Petawawa, Ontario, Canada
I really came to your site Art looking for marathon
advice but must comment on your fabulous and thoughtfully composed
photographs. Thanks for sharing them! You'll need to come across
and get a new view here in Scotland!
Thanks sooooo much for this site; it has been very helpful. I am
planning to run my first half-marathon in my home state in May and
after reading through your site I feel much more equipped! Thanks
Ecuador and IN
I want to express my appreciation for all the
assistance I’ve received through this helpful website. I
plan to run the first marathon in Las Lagas (also first of mine)
and will use the information from your site to accomplish my goal.
Thank you again!
Las Vegas, NV
I just wanted to thank you for your great website. I have been training
for my first full marathon that is in eight weeks. I recently got
the flu that stopped me training for six days. It really got me
down mentally because I thought it had screwed up my training completely
and I was thinking of dropping out and just doing the half marathon.
However, after reading through your site, I think I can still do
it! I am feeling much better about my chances and will still strive
to make the start line in September. Wish me luck... cheers!
I'm a beginner runner in my 30's and never ran as a child due to
illness with asthma. I have found your website to be most informational
and will be back to read more. I ran two half marathons last year
and my dream is to run a full marathon. Running is HARD work but
LOTS of FUN! I wish I had more hours in a day to run; it's hard
to train when you have to work 8:30 - 5:00 pm every day. I run early
in the mornings and do my longer runs on the weekend but I know
I will have to run MUCH more for a marathon!
I'm planning to run my first marathon this November.
This site has been very helpful so far!
Fort Worth, TX
I just wanted to express my appreciation for
your site and the wonderful advice and guidance it provides. I
have completed schedule 1 and feel better than any time in my
life. I will run my first marathon in Richmond. Thanks!
I am the coach of a small running group in Bowmanville
called the Running Maniacs! I have used your website to guide
my team through marathon races. The information contained within
your site has provided the answers to many of our questions and
we thank you!
A really interesting experience to visit your
Very nice site… It will definitely come
in handy for my running schedule.
Thank you for you time.Your site will be very
helpful to me and my family.
I've used your training schedule to prepare
for the last two races I've run. Put simply - no other training
regimen has improved my time by so much! I wouldn't have imagined
I would be looking at these numbers.
I am a newish runner (18 months now) training for my second New
York City Marathons and run for Team for Kids, (a NYRR Foundation
charity). I am taking at least an hour off my time this year and
am reading everything I can get my hands (and feet) on! Your site
has been enormously helpful. Not only is the quantity and breadth
of material a wonderful resource, but also the programming makes
it all easy to find and accessible. Great cross-referenced links
throughout as well. Thanks for your site!
I have been a short-hall (12-15 miles/week) runner for 35 years.
Had bypass surgery in 2001. Contemplating a marathon and your site
is an inspiration. It’s absolutely an excellent site - thorough,
thoughtful, well organized and understandable. Thank you!
May 5th, I completed my very first marathon in.4:09:30. I used your
training program as a guide and found it very helpful and informative.
I just want to say thank you for helping me to achieve my goal.
Yours in running…
London, Ontario - Canada
I used your schedule and ran my first marathon, Nashville, TN’s
Country Music, in 4:04. I found the distance very easy to complete
and enjoyed every mile. Thanks for your help.
Before I began your 38-week program, I walked for a year. Although
I'm sure the walking was good for me, I felt I needed to do more
to feel healthy. I've completed 12 weeks of the program, running
on average 10-11 minute miles. I know I'm slow but at least consistent!
Overall, I feel healthier and am grateful for that. I was surprised
by an unexpected result of my running. I used to suffer from hemorrhoids
but now seem to be cured. Thanks for your website and support. I'll
let you know how my running/health progress.
I just wish to thank you for having made available
your insights and wisdom! I have been running all my life (almost
40 years), but never done a marathon before. It feels great to
have accomplished the International Trinidad and Tobago marathon
in the time I had aimed for. My original goal was to do it in
less then four hours but actually completed it in 3:45:10 (which
I think is a good time considering the Caribbean sun that hit
us all hard). I will continue to follow your advice… Thanks
On February 27th, 2005, my husband and I recently
completed our first marathons here in Okinawa (where we are stationed
with the U.S. Navy) in times of 3:54 and 3:57. Your training program
is outstanding! We began training in August, experienced zero
injuries, and felt thoroughly prepared for this hilly course.
This was my 30th birthday present to myself, and what a great
feeling it is! Thank you so much.
Erin (and Keith) M.
I found your site several months ago and it
provided the last piece of motivation required to take up running
again. After over a five-year break, I am now training for my
4th marathon using your schedules. Many thanks again for the "missing
link", and keep up the good work
I didn't start running until July 2003. My height
is 5’10 and at that time weighed 217 pounds. Starting running
for me felt very difficult because I was so heavy and unconditioned.
I began by running four miles every other day on a treadmill because
I was so self conscious of how I looked. During the winter 2003,
I lost a total of 67 pounds and the following spring, I broke
from my shell. It was so much easier to run outside; I hated running
on the treadmill. Today I weigh 150 pounds. To this day, I don't
remember what it was that made me become a runner. I’d always
thought it was too difficult and never imagined running in a marathon.
I met some really nice people from MNDRA (Minnesota Distance Running
Association) and began going on long runs with them. During fall
2004 at age 32, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon, finishing it in
3:34. I can't believe how much running the marathon changed my
life forever. It will be something I will always look back on
as being one of the most positive (but difficult) experiences
of my life. The preparation for the marathon was wonderful. There
are so many talented runners and so many nice people. Hope to
see you on the road sometime! Your fellow runner…
I am 47 years old and have never been a runner.
Using the training schedules posted on your site and without a
coach or any outside help, I went from zero miles to completing
my first marathon, the California International in 4:38:20. This
was 20 minutes faster than my goal-time! I'm proud of the fact
that I ran the second half of the marathon much stronger than
the first. What great training schedules and information you provide...
I was never injured and always was ready for the long runs when
they came. Thank you so much!
Los Angeles, CA.
This website was a very valuable resource to
me during my training for my first marathon. I went from not running
at all to completing the Seattle Marathon in 13 months.
This is a brief story about the Chicago Marathon
- I finally got to run it! The previous year I had a stress fracture
one week before the race and was unable to go, probably due to
the incorrect training. Thanks to Art, who helped me thru the
whole summer, the marathon was a huge thrill for me. I ran the
Milwaukee Marathon three years ago but had to stop and start and
managed to make it in 5 hours, 14 minutes. This year, with Art's
help, I did Chicago in 4 hours, 50 minutes and really thought
I could have gone faster. But the great thing was I didn't stop
at all! As a result of my training, I knew how my body would react
at the end of long training runs as well as in the last miles
of the marathon. I am looking forward to working with Art next
year and targeting a four-hour marathon. Thank you Art, for a
thrill of a lifetime!
I just completed my first marathon in Lausanne
in 3 hours, 56 minutes. I followed the training schedule on this
site and found all the other information available extremely useful.
Thanks very much!
I wanted to thank you for your site as I have
trained for, and completed my first marathon October 17th in Toronto.
It was one of my life goals to finish a marathon and I very excited
to have completed it. I used to hate running and I never ran more
than five miles in my life. Even when I started this year on January
1st, I couldn’t even run three miles non-stop. Rather, I
had to walk and jog. Nonetheless, I followed your schedule along
with all the tips and techniques provided on your site. I would
have been quite happy to finish at all, however my goal was with
a time of 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Despite 6 degree Celsius temps, rain
and 30km winds, I amazed myself and completed the event in 4 hours,
45 minutes. For me, as a first timer and with no running background,
I am very happy with this accomplishment. I have to say that your
website was extremely helpful for me successfully complete. Thank
I just completed my first marathon, Chicago,
in 4:08. I had a 4:15 goal (4:00 stretch goal), and am delighted
with that achievement. Plus, I was very relaxed and supple after
the race and also felt strong and relaxed on day two of my recovery.
Thanks to “State of the Art Marathon Training”, I
was really well prepared and able to enjoy the race the whole
way through. Those drizzly Sunday-morning runs through the streets
of East London really paid off! I've recommended this site to
several of my running buddies. All my friends (runners included)
commented on how by rights, I should have felt sore in the days
immediately after the marathon. I think my experience is a testament
to how well prepared you will be for a marathon if you follow
this programme. Thanks!
I trained for five months on my own slowly building
my weekly mileage as well as the times per week I was running.
With 3-1/2 months to go before the Twin Cities Marathon, I found
your schedule on-line. I counted back from the marathon date,
October 3rd until the last week in June and picked up Schedule
II from there. I was surprised to find that I was right on track.
I completed every mile of training from that point up to the marathon
and finished the Twin Cites marathon in 3:24:38. I am 34 years
old and this was my first marathon. I didn't qualify for Boston
but am very happy with my results and will continue to use this
website for all my training and tips for next year. I have spoken
with many other marathon runners and they all agreed that I was
on a very good schedule. Thanks for the knowledge.
I used this program to train for my first marathon
and would now recommend it to anyone. I feel great. I'm happy
with my time and am looking forward to my next marathon.
Oregon City, OR
I'll start by tooting my own horn! I've completed
four marathons while improving my time by about 10 minutes for
each. I'm nearing 40 years of age, and finally have a Boston Marathon
qualifying time! This site has provided a quality-training program
for each and every one of my races. I can't thank you enough.
May there be many more successes to follow!
Santa Paula, CA
I'm a 36-year old male and never considered
myself to be much of a distance runner. The longest distance I
ever ran had been six miles. Likewise, I'm not what one would
picture as having an "ideal" body type for long distance
running. I'm 6'2" and was a little over 210lbs when I started
your program. I'm proud to say that after 36 weeks of training
and dropping down to 188 pounds, I successfully finished the US
Air Force Marathon on September 18th with an overall chip time
of 4:46:21. Not exactly breaking any records but it exceeded my
goal of finishing a marathon under five hours. I stayed injury
free throughout my training with the exception of a bruising left
big toe while running on an uneven sidewalk. Yes, I was running
in the road against traffic but had to retreat to the sidewalk
due to an inattentive driver! I’m considering running the
US Navy Blue Angel Marathon this February. Thanks for the great
resources you've provided!
Lynn Haven, FL
I found “State of the Art Marathon Training”
while on the US Air Force Marathon's website. All the training
information is very clear for both the novice as well as the experienced
runner. I deployed to Qatar during my training phase. I didn't
get all of the long runs in due to my duty schedule and the intense
weather! However, I still completed the marathon with only the
usual assortment of aches and pains. I have recommended Art's
site to several people and will continue to use it myself. Thanks
I just completed my first marathon, the Edmonton
Centennial in 3:33;01, following the marathon training schedule
on your site. I also prepared and game-planned using your suggestions.
On race day it was raining and about 30 degrees Fahrenheit colder
than the temperatures in which I trained. I put the weather out
of my mind and stuck with my race strategy. After the 16K mark,
nobody passed me. I ended up finishing the marathon just three
minutes slower than my goal time. Thanks for the helpful information
contained on your site! I was a total marathon novice-starting
out but can't wait to use my new found knowledge to try and better
St Albert - Alberta, Canada
Congratulations and thank you for a very informative
and well presented website. I’ve previously run New Zealand’s
Rotorua Marathon three times but have never prepared properly;
I’ve made myself sick as a consequence! With the assistance
of your site, I look forward to a very rewarding Auckland marathon.
Thank you - Your website is outstanding.
Auckland, New Zealand
I am extremely happy I came across this website. I began running
last winter and injured my knee when I increased my mileage too
fast. After reading the information you provided, I realized where
I went wrong and after recovering, have been following your schedule.
I’m happy to report that everything is going great. Thanks!
Los Angeles, CA
Great website! I used much of the marathon training
information to guide me through my first marathon and even qualified
for Boston! I found the advice on preparing for the long run,
tapering, and marathon strategy very helpful. Thanks, and keep
up the good work!
Mississauga, Ontario - Canada
I just wanted to say thank you for all of your
wonderful resources on marathon training. It’s not that
often that I have come across a site that provides such in depth
knowledge. I will continue to visit your site and tell others
about it. I’ve just begun marathon training and recently
finished my first 3k-race, placing 1st! I was really happy about
it and must say that I have the “marathon bug” running
through my veins. My mom was a very talented runner, so I guess
I was lucky enough to get her genes. Thanks again and please keep
up the great work!
“State of the Art Marathon Training”
along with many books about marathoning have really helped me
prepare for my runs physically and mentally! Thanks for this great
I'm running my first marathon in January. Your
site has been really helpful with my training. Thanks!
Sugar Land, TX
I am training for my first marathon, Boulder
Backroads, which is in September. Thank goodness I came upon this
web site in a timely manner. It is a great relief to know I have
four months to complete Schedule II. I was thinking of backing
out or waiting another year to complete a marathon. I promised
myself I would do this before I am 20 and feel confident that
I can now do this! I will be sure to let you know how it goes.
Until then, thank you so much for posting this site!
I have learned a great deal from this site.
I am currently preparing for my first marathon. I plan on referring
this website to others that will be running with me.
I will be running the Vermont City Marathon
on May 30, 2004. I have been following your instructions and so
far, so good, as I ran 21 miles on Saturday and am feeling great.
I am really looking forward to the actual marathon, and I thank
you for making the information available online!
Thank you so much for all the excellent information
you have made available on your marathontraining.com website.
I began running last year to lose weight and get into shape and
then found I was enjoying it so much I wanted to do a marathon.
I used the workout schedules and advice you provided and in late
February, I ran my first marathon, The Okinawa Marathon, finishing
in 4:40. I've lost 40 pounds (and still need to lose about 30-35
to be at a "normal" BMI) and have discovered a great, great hobby.
I enjoy running so much I have a really hard time keeping myself
from running too much! Thank you again for putting such great
information out there allowing people like me to actually finish
a marathon! Grace and Peace.
After reading the book "The first Marathon"
written by Dimas Mas, I made the decision to consult your web
site as I was seeking advice to be able to improve my marathon
time. In that book, I enjoyed reading about your first marathon
experience. I’ve run four marathons along with many half-marathons.
The advice you provided in your site was very helpful. I look
forward to safely train for many more marathons and improve my
performance. Thanks for providing all this information on your
Thank you! Your site really did the job for
me. The information you provided about shoes, stretching, pace,
tapering, etc. was very helpful to me. I laughed and cried tears
of joy during my long runs. I could not believe I was running
8, 10, 16 and even 20 miles on a Sunday morning. More importantly,
I was not falling apart when I completed my runs. The schedule
really made it possible to increase the distance each week while
avoiding injury. I'll be running a half-marathon in October. From
there, I’m going to again train for the 2005 Los Angeles
Marathon. Thanks again!
Los Angeles, CA
This is a very helpful web site for someone
wanting to know what it takes to run a marathon as basic questions
Back in November, you created a training schedule
to prepare me for the Shamrock marathon. I ran it yesterday and
I just wanted to let you know that I finished in 4:29:47, which
is a PR for me (my last marathon was 4:46:34). My goal was to
finish in 4:22:00 which is what my predicted time was according
to the pace chart. During my training leading up to the marathon,
I ran several races and set PR's for a 5K at 24:49, 8K 41:15,
10K 52:35 and half marathon 2:00:05. Thanks for your help and
look forward to working with you again in the future.
I trained and followed your base and marathon
schedules for nine months. I just recently ran my first marathon
and finished feeling okay. Thank you for a great program!!
Just wanted to say thanks for your help with
my training. I ran the Massachusetts Law Enforcements Memorial
Foundation Half Marathon. I am both happy and surprised with my
performance: gun time 1:54:21 and net time 1:53:10. I placed 97th
out of 263 in my division and my overall place was 743rd out of
1487. I'll take it! Thanks again and take care.
Neither of us are runners, but we enjoyed the
challenge each workout posed. Since we trained separately and
alone, having a well-defined program was extremely useful, and
your recommendation to use the FitSense FS-1 provided each of
us with a brutally honest training tool. It was horribly hot when
we ran the race, but we both finished and even made it to work
the next day! We're looking forward to running again next year,
and as many as eight of us at work will be using your program
to train. Thanks again!
Los Angeles CA
I just ran my first marathon, the Blue Angel
(held at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola FL), finishing in
4:32. I followed your training program and found that it increased
my endurance at a very workable rate. I am 47 years old and although
I didn't break any records, I'm happy with my performance. Thank
you for the great tips.
I found your site five months ago when I decided
to run the Motorola Marathon in Austin. I followed the mileage
buildup schedule and ran my first marathon this past weekend.
Prior to training for this event, I had never run more than five
miles. However, with this program and some determination, my finish
time was 3:24! This site is great; thanks for everything.
My thanks to your web site for guiding me through
four months of training leading up to my first marathon. I just
completed the 2004 Houston marathon in a time of 4:19:52, which
was 10 minutes better than the 4:30 goal I had set out to achieve.
Although I adjusted the training schedule to fit my timetable
and comfort level, it was very helpful every step of the way.
It was most vital to me in the last week leading up to the race
as it had me prepared for just about anything I wouldn't have
imagined happening. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of marathon
training with the world and here's to another marathon in the
not-too distant future.
First, a brief background - I am a 54-year-old
male who has been running for many years. When in my late thirties
into my early forties, I was into 10K racing and could consistently
run under 40 minutes, with a personal best of 37:15, but had never
really contemplated running a marathon due to the time commitment
for training. For the past twelve years or so, I had just been
running for personal fitness and enjoyment. In the last couple
years, I entered a couple local 5K and 10K races and placed well
in my age group, and got a little excited about running again.
To get to the point, I decided in early December to enter the
inaugural PF Chang's Rock n' Roll marathon in Phoenix. Knowing
I only had about five weeks to prepare, I started searching for
training advice and came across your website. Fortunately, I had
a pretty good base of about 25-30 miles a week with 5 to 7.5 mile
jaunts at about a 7:15 pace or so. I used your training schedule
(considerably compressed!), completing progressively longer runs
each Sunday, with my longest a 20 miler two weeks out from the
race. I mainly focused on getting the "feel" of the longer distance
and adjusting my pace. I used your tapering, nutrition and psychological
advice and really spent the last two weeks getting prepared. I
had set a goal of running the entire race and finishing under
4 hours with a stretch goal of under 3:45. I finished in 3:40:19,
and other than really sore quads the last three miles or so, enjoyed
the race and had no major discomfort. I paid the price for not
having enough distance-work in, but I feel the tapering schedule
really helped. I was able to control my pace such that I ran the
back half of the marathon 10 minutes faster than the first and
still felt really fresh at the midway point. I hadn't looked past
this race, but now I look back and see where I could have made
up another five minutes or so, and am excited about doing another.
I am confident that with more distance training, I can run around
3:25 or so. I am planning on running the San Diego Rock n’
Roll Marathon in June, and will follow your training schedule
more closely. Thanks for the great help!
Looking to do my 1st Marathon. Your site is
clear and concise, a real find.
Very nice reference! I went through the marathon
training section before I tried my first half- marathon last Sunday.
And I did it without difficulty and injury. I'm looking forward
to finish a marathon next year. Cheers!
Great Web site! I am training for my first half
marathon in February. As stated by others, thanks for providing
lots of valuable information for us first timers without charging
lots of money for books or personalized virtual training! 2003
has been the year I lost 40 pounds through diet and exercise.
2004 will be the year to finally maintain and to run my first
half marathon as a work towards the full McCoy!
This is a very good and well put together site.
Myrtle Beach, SC
I trained and followed your base and marathon
schedules for nine months. I just recently ran my first marathon
and finished feeling okay. Thank you for a great program!
I followed this training plan for my first marathon
last year. I felt little pain the day after the marathon and was
pleased with my performance during the actual race. I look forward
to training again next year with this schedule!
This is the first marathon web site that offers
useful information to the first time runner who would like to
enter marathons with out having to pay for books and videos. Thanks
for an informative, easy to navigate site.
This is an unbelievable website! I have used
it throughout my training program and will continue to use it
until the race. Very thorough and realistic!
I used the information from State of the Art
Marathon Training for the most part to train for my first marathon.
The schedules were very easy to understand and worked with how
many days I wanted to run per week. I had a sore knee at one point
but that was due to running on a day when the roads were icy and
my feet were slipping all over the road. I took a couple of weeks
off to recover and get back on track. I'm happy to report that
the schedules worked and I was able to complete my first marathon.
I've run three marathons since, some faster and some slower. The
last one I ran, I was on schedule to run under 3:30 during my
last marathon. However, by mile-23, I was disappointed that my
calves gave out. Although I finished, I suspect I didn't train
as properly as I should have.
I can say that by sticking to the schedules
from this site, you help assure yourself that you won't increase
mileage too quickly and you'll prepare your body more slowly and
efficiently than any other method. Use this method and I feel
confident that you'll be happy with the results. In fact, I'm
training for another marathon and I've returned to this site to
prepare myself properly. The nice part about this program is that
you can jump in wherever you are at and continue from there. I'm
confident that through using this system, my next marathon will
be my best ever. You'll never forget your first marathon!
Very informative site. Love it, will share it
with my friends.
Kansas City, MO
Wow, I really did it! I ran my first marathon,
The Dallas White Rock on December 14th in 4:01:53. Your web site
and particularly the testimonials encouraged me to "try". I plugged
myself into the buildup schedule in June and followed it until
I entered the 18-week marathon training schedule.
When I first started I couldn't imagine running
training runs of 20, 21, and 22 miles. But I just kept doing the
"next" run on the schedule. I gained confidence with every run
although I must admit that I wondered how I was going to be able
to "pick up the pace" and run faster in the actual marathon. I
finally decided that if everyone said it, then it must be true!
I completed all of the long runs and almost all of the other runs.
I admit that I ran two of my three long runs at too fast a pace
and had to take a few extra days off to recover. I should have
listened! While I wanted finish in under four hours, I was pleased
with my first effort. Thank you for all the training information;
I could have never done it without the sound advice provided on
Thanks for the "clear-cut" schedules and advice
from your site. I ran my first marathon on October 5th with a
time of 3:28. I followed your program as closely as my schedule
would allow and I finished the marathon injury free and within
my time goal. Thanks again.
Love your site and expert advice. Due to your
site I ran my first marathon successfully and completed it in
my goal time.
San Diego, DA
I had been running for a couple of years without
training or supervision. I had wanted to do a marathon but didn't
know if I had it in me. I stumbled on this site, bookmarked it,
and came back again and again to read the information. Last year
I completed my first marathon in Connemara, Ireland! I didn't
break any records, but I felt great afterwards and I hope it will
be my first of many!
I truly want to thank you for the coaching you
provided me the past five months. Without your guidance, there
is no way I could have run a 3:33 marathon at Chicago which is
a 22 minute improvement from my time last year. Your coaching
helped me realize my potential and I'm very grateful. I would
never have pushed myself as hard as I did both in training and
during the marathon. I know I can improve upon my time and with
continued training, run a sub 3:30 marathon. Thanks again for
New Albany, MS
I only began running one year ago, after a 15-year
period of relative inactivity. This is also when I stopped smoking!
After building my running base over the course of a few months,
I followed your marathon training program. I particularly liked
the commentary and advice regarding long run training and nutrition
and found this website to be very comprehensive, in general. So
last week, at age 39, I completed my first marathon in 3:55:20
with no injuries! I am extremely happy with this result and would
highly recommend your web site.
I was always a sprinter and never had been strong
enough to run distances, but I wanted to run at least one marathon
in my life. I am very grateful that I found State of the Art Marathon
Training out of pure luck browsing through the Net. I was training
alone and received all of my insight, information, and education
on how to train for and run a marathon from this site. Thanks
to you, I finished my first marathon and I am looking forward
to beginning my training for the next one. Your help made it an
uplifting and even a pleasurable experience.
River Forest, IL
I was a weight lifter, smoked, and weighed 225lbs.
I decided to change my lifestyle, stop smoking, and run a marathon.
I never ran a race of any kind before. In September 2002, I started
with the kilometer build up schedule from this site and moved
on to the marathon schedule. I am proud to say that on September
28, 2003 I ran the Toronto Scotia Bank Waterfront Marathon in
3 hours, 26 minutes. I was amazed at my time considering the fact
that I was hoping to just break four hours! I now weigh 190lbs
and continue to be a non-smoker. This site helped a lot as I trained
alone. Thanks Art!
Peterborough, Ontario - Canada
Yesterday, I completed The Cardiff Marathon,
my first, in 3:41. My aim was to finish in less than four hours.
I found the mileage buildup and marathon training schedules excellent.
At the time they seemed little arduous, but in retrospect, they
were great in helping me prepare for this event. I completed the
marathon with no real difficulties and felt in much better shape
than quite a few of the runners our there looked! I've got no
problems beyond a little muscle stiffness and a slight twinge
in my one knee. This is certainly better than I was expecting
to feel 24 hours after the race!
Cardiff, United Kingdom
I was the kind of person that loves to play
sports, but when it came to running, I didn't want to do it. I
just hated running until I started training for the Houston Half-Marathon
in January 2003. Granted, for a couple of months, I trained very
little because of my job. I just started running again and I can
now say I am a runner, and love running. I plan to run again the
13.1 in January 2004. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement
that I needed to know… Running isn't a bad thing but rather
I'm really glad I found this site to train for
the San Francisco Chronicle Half Marathon. To prepare for this
event, I entered the mileage buildup schedule at week number five
and worked my way through the novice half-marathon training schedule.
People were telling me that this schedule was too "conservative"
and that I needed to do more miles. I thought this schedule was
perfect for me.
I thought the schedules on this site would best
prepare me for a Sunday race, and it worked! I'm 42 and never
was any good at endurance sports. I followed the schedules consistently
(I didn't miss a run!) and was aiming to break two hours for the
13.1-mile race through the hills of San Francisco. My finish time
was 1:49.10 and was passing people left and right at the end.
I felt strong and had more fun than I could ever imagine! Now
I'm moving on to the marathon training schedule from this site
to prepare for Sacramento's California International Marathon.
I'm also going to include some cross training. The highest weekly
mileage total on Schedule II is 46-47 miles 4 weeks before the
race. While I've seen other marathon training programs out there
with 60-70 mile weeks, I've got faith in State of the Art Marathon
Training as I proved to myself that it works for me. I just want
to say thanks, and I'll see you at the finish line!
Santa Cruz, CA
In October 2000, I walked my first marathon
(Marine Corps) with the help of the training schedule on this
web site. Crossing that finish line stands as one of the most
exciting moments of my life. Next year I'll train again and State
of the Art Marathon Training will be my first stop on that journey.
It was an invaluable resource last time and I know it will be
My best friend and I had played soccer together
throughout high school and as college sophomores we decided to
take on the Music City Marathon. We both followed the training
program religiously and am happy to say that it went great. We
both finished right around four hours. Take the advice from this
site by trying out different things before the marathon (power
bars, sports drinks, etc.). Also, for all first time marathoners
like me, pay attention to the elevation of the course that you
are planning to run. I didn't and ended up running one of the
hilliest marathon courses!
An excellent site. Outstanding information.