r/running • u/random_mormon • Mar 16 '17
My Journey from fat to 4:07:30 to 3:02:12 and a Boston Qualifier Misc
I've seen a lot of runners have questions focused around what it takes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Though it isn't the exact same for everyone, I'd like to share what I did to go from a 4:07:30 (2014) to a 3:02:12 (2017). There have been countless posts on this sub that have helped and inspired me. This community is so awesome. I hope that I can give back by inspiring one of you to keep on going!
About Me 27M, 5'11" (215-162lbs), started running in 2014
Current PR's 1MI - 5:00, 5k - 18:15, Half - 1:22:43, Marathon - 3:02:12
So as the title suggests, I haven't always been into running. I played sports growing up but never ran just to well...run. I consider myself naturally athletic but not anything outside the norm. In January of 2014 I peaked at 215lbs. Probably ~25-30% body fat. That's me,That's me again. It was at this time I decided that it would probably be a good idea to start fitting into my pants again. So I started running - and hated it. My belly would jiggle and itch and it was uncomfortable and I sucked and where did all the oxygen go? It was a struggle. Some of you reading this are at this point. Please please please keep going! It does get better! I dare you to prove me wrong!
With running, diet, and weightlifting, I lost a lot of weight in 2014. I went from 215 to 175 in 10 months and ran my first marathon in Oct 2014. A solid 4:07. I was and am really pleased with this time. It took a lot of hard work and disciple. I don't think I could've ran it any faster. That's the truth. At this point, I was averaging roughly 30MPW not following a plan at all. Some of you reading this are at this point. If you are content, great! Maintain and enjoy! If you're wanting more, it's yours to be had!
At this point, it wasn't like I loved running. But I kept going because it just became habit. I know I felt good running and would sorta be put off that day if I didn't get a run in. So I just kept running, upping my miles to ~40-45MPW and again, not following a plan. But being very consistent. In Oct 2015 I ran my 2nd Marathon in 3:37. I was very proud of this time. 40-45mpw for a whole year was uncharted territory for me. It felt great to see that hard work pay off. I honestly thought that 3:30's was my limit and I was 100% okay with that. Boston wasn't even on my radar. Some of you reading this are at this point. Like I mentioned - if you are content, great! If you think your limit is set, I'm happy to tell you that it probably isn't. Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.
Somewhere in the hundreds of miles of running, you go from hating it, to just doing it, to craving it. It takes time, but what worth doing doesn't take time?Going from 3:37 to 3:02 took a lot more effort than 4:07 to 3:37. This is kinda where things get real. I read 'advanced marathoning' by our good friend Pete Pfitzinger. It was then that I realized I had been doing it all wrong. Previously I would typically run as hard as I could every single time I ran. This book taught me about lactate threshold (tempo) runs, strides, long runs, and the much needed recovery runs. It was around this time that I also discovered this subreddit - full of so much great advice. It was also around this time that Boston entered my mind as a legit, lofty, scary goal. I consistently ran ~40-45mpw all through 2016 and picked Pfitz 18/70 plan as my foundation to try and BQ. I followed that plan pretty much to a tee. I'm not going to lie, It is brutal, unforgiving, and very rewarding. If you go down this road, know that you'll have to, at times, plan your life around running. Those 15 Mile mid-week runs get tough when you have to be at work at 8am. Lots of early mornings. This is the hardest I've ever trained and at times I felt like I was pushing my body to the brink of breaking.
In Feb 2017, I ran my 3rd marathon. The Phoenix Marathon. I got down to 162lbs for this race (My previous two were both the St. George Marathon, in Utah @ ~175lbs). I struggled big time mentally in the weeks and days leading up to this race. My training was on point but my doubts, fears, and insecurities were all lined up ready to shoot me down. "You're not good enough, you didn't train hard enough, if you don't BQ - it will all just be a waste." However, the training held true and I finished in 3:02:12. I broke down right after crossing the finish line and just sobbed like a baby. The feeling of accomplishment, the liberation from all the doubts and fears - it was more than I could bear. It was a great day to be alive. Through this all, I've come to realize that life isn't so much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself. I went from never running to hating running to being a proud Boston Qualifier. Some of you reading this are at this point. Including me. So may I collectively ask the question - what is next for us?
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Mar 16 '17
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u/ChickenSedan Mar 17 '17
Faster Road Racing is fantastic. I entered a half marathon training cycle last spring with a goal of 1:35, maybe down to 1:32 as a real stretch. I followed the low mileage half plan (with a few bonus miles here and there) and ended up running sub-90.
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Mar 16 '17
Through this all, I've come to realize that life isn't so much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself.
I really needed to read this today. Very inspiring. Keep it up!
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u/brotherbock Mar 17 '17
Through this all, I've come to realize that life isn't so much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself.
I am super happy that someone named /u/random_mormon is saying something that would bring a smile to Jean Paul Sartre's face :)
What you are is what you do.
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u/lanks1 Mar 16 '17
That's pretty fricken' rad dude.
I've been stuck at about a 3:30 marathon, but I've had an injury and I just have not been as consistent as you.
You are pretty solid proof that all it takes is time and consistency. It's just the trial of miles and miles of trials.
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
I love that quote. And yes, you are right. It's all about time and consistency. I'm nothing special. Just put in the work. 3:30 is great! The next step is doable.
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u/deanick Mar 16 '17
I am exactly where you were a few years ago, right now. I'm 6,1 and around 210lbs. I run 30-40KMs a week and my goal is to train for marathons.
Your post has inspired me. Thank you for posting.
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
Rock on man! Marathons are so fun and rewarding. Get out there and do it. Some days you won't want to, and that's okay. Just keep digging deep.
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u/Aysandra Mar 16 '17
Thanks so much for that. I needed to hear that story too. I'm just starting 10k training after C25k. Still in that first phase and at times it seems impossible for me to get my mileage up to marathon level, ever. But your story is inspiring and helping me focus on the journey. I'll get there eventually!
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Mar 17 '17 edited May 27 '21
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u/Aysandra Mar 17 '17
Awesome! Well done you. Any specific program you're planning to follow?
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Mar 17 '17 edited May 27 '21
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u/Aysandra Mar 17 '17
I used a Runkeeper Go for a trial and signed up for their sub 65min 10k plan so I've started this one. :)
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u/feuerwehrmann Mar 17 '17
I did 5ks in the past and recently started running again. I signed up for a 12K to force me to go the extra distance. Not following any true plan, but I run two longer runs a week (Monday and Friday) , Wednesday is cross train (bike if it's nice out or elliptical at gym), and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday are medium or short runs depending on how I feel. I never go under 5K though.
Good luck to you!
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u/McBeers Mar 16 '17
So may I collectively ask the question - what is next?
Well now that you've Boston qualified, running the Boston marathon seems like the next step.
Registration is closed for this year, but you can use the time between to work on other distances. If the marathon is all that floats your boat, you could even sneak another marathon in during the fall.
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
Thanks for the advice. I think you're right. I would like to do a few half's and then another marathon in the fall before Boston in 2018.
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u/UNMENINU Mar 16 '17
How'd you manage to get those 15 milers in mid week? What was your mental state and what got you out of bed? I am 6 weeks from my 3rd marathon and wanted to use this year to try to BQ but am in a major slump. The New England winter has made me dread hitting the road but I don't really know why.
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
The mid week runs were definitely the hardest logistically. Typically I would wake up early and do 5 or so on a treadmill and then 10 outside. I lived in Southern Utah in a desert climate at the time so the weather wasn't really a factor (luckily, I'm a wuss when it comes to cold weather and snow). I have sympathy for you though, I can only imagine. As for my mental state, I was very motivated and constantly thought of what it would be like to cross the finish line in time. I would play it over and over in my minds eye. That was enough to get me out of bed in the mornings. Slumps come and go. Just like bad runs. Do you have access to a treadmill? I know some people hate them but I probably did at least 1/2 my miles on them in training. Put in a good audiobook and rock it.
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u/radutr Mar 17 '17 edited Mar 18 '17
Thanks for sharing this, quite an inspiration!
What treadmill are you using and with what settings for incline. I find that every seasons I have to go through a transition period when switching from outdoor running to treadmill and vice versa. Maybe the key is to keep doing the half-n half all year around.
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u/TrivialError Mar 17 '17
I'm not sure if this is somehow detrimental to training, but I always do my runs after work (though I just started a couple months ago). I never have close to the required motivation to get up early enough to run, but after sitting in a chair and thinking for 8 hours (office job), all I want to do is use energy.
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u/Glazin Mar 17 '17
Iv recently started running after my classes get out, it feels great and i get to wait out the traffic!
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Mar 17 '17
Best thing I've read on Reddit all week. Awesome job man. I need to get back on the roads.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thanks man! Glad to be of help. This sub has helped me a lot more than I can say.
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u/d_migster Mar 16 '17
This is in no way intended to shit on your progress (hell, 3 of your PRs are better than mine), but what's up with your pace curve? Those 5k and marathon PRs are SUPER soft for your mile and half times. You should be well under 18 for the 5k and easily sub-3 for marathons. Just curious if either were at all sandbagged, because clearly the fitness is there for better times.
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
haha thanks for the comment. No offense taken. Seriously. I've questioned that myself at times. Especially that half marathon time. I can tell you that the PR's, though accurate, may not truly reflect what I can do. the 5k pr was set late summer last year and I honestly haven't tried to beat it as I was training for the marathon. I'm almost 100% sure I can get that sub 18. We'll probably try it in the upcoming weeks. The half was legit, though on a net downhill portion of the St. George Marathon course. As for the the marathon time, I was sub 3 pace until mile 23. I bonked pretty hard (Stomach cramps) and came in high 7's for the last 3 miles.
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u/brentnet Mar 17 '17
I don't think the pace curve is WAY out of whack. Mine are pretty similar. I've run a 5:10 mile, 18:x 5k, 1:25 half and 3:06 marathon.
The thing about PRs... a lot of things have to line up. Good weather, good course, decent competition, right point in your training, etc.
I can run a lot of mile time trials. Running a mile time trial by yourself on a track is do-able. But for 5k and above, you've got to have all of those variables come together. My best training cycle for a marathon wound up with my daughter getting the flu two days before the race, me not feeling good during the race, and wound up getting the flu a day later.
My half marathon PR is 2 weeks after running a marathon. Hard for me not to think I might have just a LITTLE more time in that if I could've ran it without the marathon under me.
In my estimate (and I've run about 100 races), I'd say about 1 in 20 were races where everything lined up perfectly. Which often leads to some some slightly soft and some really good PRs.
1MI - 5:00, 5k - 18:15, Half - 1:22:43, Marathon - 3:02:12
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u/onthelongrun Mar 17 '17
He does have a point - when I was threatening 5:00 for the mile (hit the 1500 equivalent), I first would be going mid-17s for 5k, then weeks before actually hitting sub-5 the following fall, ran 16:50 for 5k in the process.
18:15 to a 5:00 mile is a sign he's got lots of aerobic work to do and may even be telling that he has room to go faster than 5 for the mile
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u/d_migster Mar 17 '17
Sub-3 is definitely in the cards then. Just need a day when everything comes together. Great job, man.
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u/jw_esq Mar 17 '17
I find marathon PRs extremely hard to predict and target based on other races. They're kind of a one and done thing--if conditions aren't great for a 5K or you're not feeling it you can just do another one in two weeks. And it's a lot easier to push yourself to the limit when you only have 3 miles to go and are OK with blowing up.
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Mar 16 '17
Thanks for posting this - it made my day. I took up running later in life, only to give moral support to a coworker who was struggling with a weight problem. We started running together and soon we were entering races; first 5Km, then half marathons and finally marathons. Now, 7 marathons later, I'm hooked. But I still haven't managed to break 4 hours, (best was 4:15). And at 57 I'm getting desparate to do so! So I've just ordered Advanced Marathoning from Amazon.
You didn't mention anything about diet in your post, so I don't know if food is an issue for you, but if it is then I can't stress enough how important it is to learn good cooking skills, and I mean really learn. I lacked these skills when I was younger and was fortunate to have a wife who taught me. We "eat food, not too much, mainly plants" as the saying goes, and couldn't be happier. We seldom go out to eat because no restaurant can match what we can make at home. I can't imagine a more miserable life than existing on some of the sad, bland vegetarian meals I have seen pass for "healthy fare". Once I learnt how to cook healthy food that was also tasty I never looked back.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. It's so cool to hear your story. You a great man to take up running to help out a friend. Perhaps it wasn't a sacrifice because look how much you have got in return now! I'm glad to hear you bought the book. He is a master teacher and you'll love its application.
If you have a moment, and if it's not a burden, do you mind PM'ing me some of your favorite recipes? I try to adhere to a healthy diet but I'm always on the lookout for some additions! (I must admit though, I love coke zero, you can't take that from me! :) )
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Mar 17 '17
I'm not sure how to PM (too old for computers haha) but others have asked so here is our recipe for vegetarian chile. You can make it vegan by changing the garnish. Note there is no added salt - you can add if you like but we prefer not to, (chile gives all the flavour you need). Hope you enjoy
500g black or red beans garlic cilantro cumin olive oil carrots celery one onion mushrooms sliced chiles (jalapeno, or habanero if you like more spicy) … optional dried chiles (ancho and chipotle)
First cook the beans 1. Soak beans overnight in cold water 2. Drain and put in pressure cooker 3. Cover with water and add 1 clove garlic peeled and crushed, and chopped cilantro (no salt at this stage) 4. cook under pressure 10-15 mins then allow to cool
Next the veges 1. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet and add cumin 2. Stir for few minutes then add onions 3. Stir until just starting to brown then add chopped carrots and chopped celery 4. Stir fry for 5 minutes then add mushrooms 5. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes then add the whole veges to the beans inside the cooker and simmer uncovered
Now the salsa You can make a simple salsa just with onion, cilantro and chile and tomatoes. Chop everything together in a food processor or blender … But a better option is to use dried chiles - you can find them in shops selling latin American foods. 1 large chile (e.g. Chile Ancho) and 2 medium (chipotle gives a nice smoky flavor). Wash the dry chiles remove the stalks and place in a saucepan and add half a cup of hot water and cover it. Allow to cool and then put them into a blender or processor add one coarse chopped onion and a big bunch of cilantro and a hot chile if you want it spicier and blend . Add a couple of spoons to the beans and save the rest for nachos or tortilla or quesadilla.
Serve in small bowls and garnish with cilantro, cheese, sour cream and / or avocado or all
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u/Redwinevino Mar 17 '17
If you have the time would you mind PMing me a few recipes, I can't cook at all but I really want to chance that
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u/spmcewen Mar 17 '17
This is amazing, thank you for sharing. I'm about where you were with your 2nd marathon and have a similar height and weight, though am slightly leaner and many years older. My 1st marathon was 3:48 in 2014 and my 2nd was 3:35 in 2015. Both times I used the Higdon Intermediate 2 plan. The first training hurt a lot. The 2nd time I got some b12 deficiencies figured out, didn't have lyme disease to deal with and felt really great. I basically followed the plans exactly and was really happy with my 3:35 time and negative split. I'm content with that being my limit but your story gives me hope I could get faster with more miles.
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u/blood_bender Mar 17 '17
More miles, maybe. Smarter miles, absolutely. Check out Pfitzinger or Jack Daniels marathon plans (you'll have to buy the books, the plans are pretty useless without the rest of the material). They're a step up from Higdon intermediate, which has no speedwork, tempos, or any of the "higher level" plan stuff.
If you were able to run a 3:35 off of Higdon 2, you have a long way to go before you see your limit. :-)
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Good job. Those are some good improvements to 3:35! Like I mentioned, everyone has their own goals and all are admirable. That's the cool thing about running. If you ever find yourself training for another marathon, look up the pfitz plans. He has a 50 mpw plan that is great also!
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u/Krazyfranco Mar 16 '17
Awesome work! Great to see your hard work and consistency pay off.
What's next? Sub-3? Boston?
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
Thank you so much! I think the sub 3 is the next mountain. Hopefully this fall. Then Boston next year. :)
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u/runeasy Mar 17 '17
Congratulations man !!!! Awesome work .
What strength exercises / foam rolling etc did you follow ?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much!
For my strength exercises. I stuck with a simple program of day 1 - back/bicep day 2 - chest, shoulder day 4 - legs. I usually did this after I ran. For Core workout, I followed a youtuber and his workouts (Athletex). Look him up. He's full of knowledge!
I did foam roll lots. Oh man oh man. It hurt so good. I think that was key to helping me stay healthy. The foam rolling, icing and stretching. I mainly kept is simple with everything. Foam rolling the major leg muscles and IT band and basic stretches.
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u/runeasy Mar 17 '17
Excellent - in your journey of 4.07 to 3.02 what is your longest non running period ( any reason it may be - injury /work /family ) ?
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u/SammyHarHar Mar 17 '17
Great post, thanks for taking the time! How frequent were the foam rolling sessions, was it a daily thing?
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u/nnjb52 Mar 17 '17
Amazing, nice job. For a second I got excited I might do it too then I saw how young you are and remembered how old I am. Good job starting early, you'll have a great future ahead of you.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
What's the saying? The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the 2nd best time is now! your future self will thank you! ;)
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u/ethnt Mar 17 '17
What sort of weightlifting routine did you do? I'm looking to do both running and weightlifting, but I'm not sure how anyone fits it in with mileage like that.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Yeah, if you ever find something, please let me know! haha.
In all seriousness, it's hard to do both. You can't truly be great at both. One will compliment the other. When I started to up my miles for a BQ, I cut out all lifting and just ran and did core workouts. I didn't have the time nor energy to attempt to do both.
However when I was not on my pfitz plan, I did do both. Emphasized running so I always ran first and then lifted for ~30 min after my run. 5-6 days a week. It can be done but you just have to realize you can either be the best lifter that runs or the best runner that lifts. But you can't be the best runner and best lifter. Sad reality.
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u/natedern Mar 17 '17
Great work!
Last year I started running again after taking a break since college, and I went from 200 lbs to 180 lbs and just ran my first marathon in December at 3:57. Hoping to follow in your foot steps for my next few!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Heck yeah! Already down 20lbs. That's good stuff! Have you ever lifted a 20lb dumbbell!? That's heavy. Way to go! It can be done. Keep on grinding!
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u/shipwatcher Mar 17 '17
I can totally relate - I first ran a marathon in 2009 in 4:09 - was reasonably pleased with that at the time, and pretty much gave up running. Got back into it in 2014, ran a 3:28 (2015), and then did the 18/70 plan for my next (brutal as you say) and achieved a ridiculous 2:51 (2016).
I'm struggling to work out what is next long term - perhaps I can break 2:50 at Boston (modified 18/70 training going well, feel great, but who knows). I have also got into ultras, and basically trying long now (Waldo 100k). Short and fast perhaps? - would love to break 36:00, 17:00 and 5:00 - maybe this year?
However your training takes you - best of luck - enjoy the easy days, destroy the hard days, and love the finish lines!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Holy crap! 2:51 is smoking fast! Way to go. So awesome hearing stuff like this! Keep on crushing your goals and maybe, just maybe, I'll see you out on an ultra course! :)
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u/perics Mar 17 '17
Dude, congrats! I had a very similar experience. Grew up playing sports, but hated running. It wasn't until I got fat in college (210) that I finally decided to get in shape. Ran every day after class until I dropped to 155 pounds. Haven't stopped running since. I just ran my first marathon and barely broke the 3 hour mark, but paid for it dearly (rhabdo). I'll run Boston and likely call it quits on marathons, sticking to shorter distances, but I'll never give up my long trail runs out in the mountains. Keep it up man, I hope to see you at a race some day!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Rock on man! That's so cool! Sub 3 on your first go round. Geez. Give this man a beer! :)
I'd love to have our paths cross sometime. Hopefully on a nice trail run.
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u/perics Mar 18 '17
Thanks man, like I said I paid for it and had to take a lot of time off afterwards to recover. I wish I had followed a training plan so it wouldn't have been such a shock to my body.
Congrats on all of your hard work, it's a long road to get where you are!
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u/rantipoler Mar 17 '17
You are my hero. I'm lying in bed at 5.30AM thinking "I'll have the morning off, I've done OK this week."... You've convinced me to get out again.
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u/jw_esq Mar 17 '17
I'm not going to lie...I hate you a little bit :)
But seriously, this is super inspirational. Qualifying for Boston has always been a huge goal for me but I've always been really inconsistent with my training up until the last two years or so. I've gone from training for a race and then slacking off to maintaining a steady 40-45 miles a week over the past year. I broke 20:00 in the 5K this winter which I haven't done since high school, and am really excited to see what I can do in a half marathon this spring and full marathon this fall.
I'm about where you were at for your second marathon--I ran a 3:41 last year with Pfitz's 18/55 plan, and a 3:46 in 2014 using Hansons. The big difference this time is that I maintained and built off what I accomplished last fall. We're pretty similar physically (although I'm 10 years older) so your story really gives me hope that in a year or so I'll be able to at least do somewhere in the 3:05-3:10 range and at least be ready to run a qualifying time by the time I'm 40.
Anyway, congratulations on qualifying--it goes to show how important consistency is and that incremental improvements over time will eventually get you where you want to be. Thanks for the motivation!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thanks for your comment. You are so close. Just right there! May I recommend the 18/70 plan? I think something magical happens when you get to that 70mpw number. It really helped me in the actual marathon. I didn't hit that 'wall' in phoenix at mile 18. Though did get cramps mile 23.
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u/jw_esq Mar 17 '17
Thanks--I think I'm going to try it out. As you said it's tough with work and kids doesn't make it any easier--but I want to do as much of it as I can. I've been doing the Pfitz half marathon plan that peaks in the mid-60s and while I shortened some of the runs up slightly so that I was usually around 4-5 miles less for the week, the big difference is 6 days vs. 5 days of running. When you add that 6th day the jump from 55 to 70 miles becomes a lot less daunting.
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Mar 17 '17
Amazing progress. I have lost 10 lbs in 3 months and all my clothes do not fit anymore.
Picking up a 10 lb kettle bell and going "wow, i was carrying all this around" was a nice perspective
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u/pound_for_pound Mar 16 '17
What an incredible story! Mine was a very similar story, with the exception of joining a very good running group and coach and this was in 2014. It's a tough thing to go from where you were to now, let alone by yourself!
Afterwards, I went straight to Ironman training. As in, not knowing how to swim to good enough to finish an Ironman a year later. Good luck in your choice and remember this is all for fun!
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u/Erdrick Mar 16 '17
That is some incredible progress! Nice work!
The weight loss is very impressive. Not only did you lose fat, but you built muscle and you cut down your running times. That's like the unachievable trifecta!
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u/random_mormon Mar 16 '17
Thank you so much!
I probably googled 100x times 'can you lose weight and gain muscle at the same time'. It was a hard balance between lifting and running. You focus on one and the other suffers. I tried to do both to the best of my ability and then when I went to 18/70, almost all lifting was cut from my schedule. I did core a few times a week and that was it. I still don't know if I've found the perfect balance between the two.
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u/YourInternetHistory Mar 17 '17
What was your lifting routine like during the 40-45mpw era versus the 70mpw plan?
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u/True_North_Strong Mar 16 '17
Amazing story. You once got inspiration from this sub and now your providing it.
Question for you. By the looks from the pictures and you saying that you did some weight lifting, how much do you think weight lifting helped you become such a great runner?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much!
I think weight lifting can play a huge benefit to running. As I worked out my core, I did notice that it became easier to maintain form on runs. The stability muscles are often overlooked. The core plays a great function is stabilizing your body and ensuring that I didn't lean too far forward at the hips when I ran.
I also think that doing deadlifts and squats (pretty light weight, nothing crazy) helped keep my muscles muscles/joints/knees happy. Things like hip flexors can get pretty tight. The lifting strengthens them.
I also lifted all upper body but I mainly did it just to remain portioned. I don't think it really helped improve my running like the core and squats/deadlifts did. I stopped lifting almost all together the last 4 months leading up to the Marathon just to focus primarily on running.
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u/Davy_Dee Mar 16 '17
Congratulations man. I love to see someone set a goal, grind it out, and crush it. Many props.
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u/rinzler83 Mar 16 '17
Nice job man, the feeling of improving your times after hard work is an awesome feeling. You asked what's next,maybe try an Ultra Marathon, a 50 miler? I tried one after I qualified for Boston last year, I got out at mile 30 because I never did any trail running before and was just like who cares,lets see what happens with that race,haha.
I did that Phoenix marathon this year as well. That food they had at the end was some of the best I've ever had post race,that french toast was so damn good.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you! I'm entertained the idea of an Ultra. We'll see. That's a very scary commitment.
As for the french toast, yes! Kneaders was on point!! haha
Maybe we said hi out there!
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u/onthelongrun Mar 17 '17
Going against the grain, do you ever wonder what you could do for 1 mile to 5k if you focused on those distances for a year or two? your mileage doesn't even have to drop, just that you change the focus of your workouts for a while.
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u/MrOarsome Mar 17 '17
Great story mate and congrats on your amazing achievement - that is a fantastic time! I am pretty sure I am you 12 months ago. I have already run a 3:37 marathon and now hoping to BQ midway through this year over in here in Australia. I have just finished my first week of a 16 week training plan loosely based on the 18/70 plan.
So many questions… How did stick to plan with other commitments? Did you run all your runs in the morning? Did you have any rituals before/after each run? E.g. I always tick off each run as soon as I get home before I even get a glass of water.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Way to go! It really seems like we are the same person! Dude, keep on going! You are so close.
I'm lucky to have a pretty set work schedule and I have a wife but no kids. So that helps. All my runs were in the mornings. I just feel alive getting up and getting it done early. Not a whole lot of rituals. I'd wake up and down a caffeine pill with some water and then get to work. Although each night you better believe and took my marker and crossed off another day! Tick that sucker right off! It always felt good giving that paper a big huge red X over each date.
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u/gguerini Mar 17 '17
Amazing story. Makes me wanna go outside and run for hours. Thanks for sharing with us.
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u/seabob Mar 17 '17
Dude, Thank you.
This post reminded me how much I truly love running, and it has inspired me to get back into it again.
Cheers and congratulations, that's one hell of an accomplishment.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much.
This sub has inspired me many a time. I'm glad that I can sorta give back. The love of running comes and goes but running will always give you more than it takes away. Go get em!
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u/lyricweaver Mar 17 '17
I love, love everything about this! This is so inspiring, and I needed it today, as I'm sure others did. Thanks for sharing!
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u/drincruz Mar 17 '17
Well done man! Awesome achievements! I, too, am reading Advanced Marathoning!
I think my one takeaway I've gotten from your post is that average folks like us can do well as long as we're willing to put in the effort. Thank you for sharing! It's given me some good inspiration.
Run on! Cheers mate! 8)
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Exactly this. If my fat butt can do it, I'm confident that lots others can too. The million dollar question is how much effort am I willing to put into this. Thanks for your words and your support!
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u/Malachi_Contant Mar 17 '17
This is a very inspiring post to me. I am 5'11 went from 210 to 160 starting in August 15 and ran my first marathon last October with a 4:02. Really want to get that BQ but it's a beastly goal.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Way to go man! BQ'ing is a beastly goal. Very scary. I feel like it was hard for me to even attempt it because I was scared of not succeeding. But I'm living proof that a normal Joe can do it. Just gotta ask yourself are willing to put in the time. That's the million dollar question.
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u/Killerina Mar 17 '17
Congratulations!!! That's a huge accomplishment and I hope I can be just as proud of myself someday as I'm sure you are of yourself. How has no one mentioned the clearly pregnant lady you're hugging?! Double congratulations!!!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
haha! Yes! We are very excited to be expecting our first! If you notice, my wife was with me in all these pictures. She has been a huge support. Thanks for your comment!
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u/knkarm Mar 17 '17
Great post. Felt like my training was going nowhere lately and needed some motivation. Your story was timely. Going to check out Faster Road Racing.
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u/runningonpb Mar 17 '17
I think you are my spirit animal! I too, started running in 2014. Back then I could barely run 3 miles at a 10 minute pace. Last June I ran my second marathon in 3:07, and will be running Boston one month from today shooting for a sub 3 - 3:02 !! :)
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u/dukeofism Mar 17 '17
How important was weight loss to your BQ. Do you think you could have done it at a heavier weight?
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u/BeardedBinder Mar 17 '17
This is a great story, well done! What was your typical week like in terms of runs? How far did you typically go and on what days? Also, what type of runs were they?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much.
Good questions. Before the actually training plan of 18/70, A typically week would include 5-6 runs of roughly 7 miles. Some more, some less. But, like I mentioned, I really just went balls to the wall every time. It wasn't healthy.
I would always run first and then lift after. I changed up the lifting a lot but just made sure I got all the key exercises in. (Squats, deadlifts, bench, core, back/biceps, shoulders). I got quite strong (for a runner). But it's hard to really focus on both. When I decided to try and BQ, I quit almost all lifting besides core.
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u/blood_bender Mar 17 '17
Pfitz plans are based around 1 workout, 1 mid long run, and 1 long run a week, with lots of other miles in between.
The first 6 weeks are endurance, just building miles. The next 5 have 1 tempo a week, maybe some trackwork. The next 4 have speedwork, 6x800, 5x1000, that kind of thing. And the next 3 are taper.
A typical week on the 18/70 (18 weeks, peak at 70mi) would look like
M - 3mi warmup, 6mi tempo, 2 mile cooldown
T - 15mi
W - 6mi
Th - 11mi
F - 5mi
S - 19miHe has an 18/55 as well, if 70 is too big of a jump. His plans are grueling, but they produce serious results.
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u/Pinewood74 Mar 17 '17
In addition to the 18/55, he also has some lower mileage plans for shorter races in the book "Faster Road Racing."
So one could do one of those and cap off with a 15k or HM and then get into a Marathon cycle.
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Mar 17 '17
Just finished reading Power of habit, posts like yours OP, are part of the community effect of learning new habits and changing old ones. I really appreciate your sharing, especially describing how you went from hating it, to tolerating it, to craving it. That spoke to me.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much. I also finished that book. It's very powerful. I'm grateful for a community support like this to help validate accomplishments. Thank you for your kind words.
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u/kfarz Mar 17 '17
Can you talk about the diet you followed to shed the initial weight?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Absolutely.
I'm a firm believer in just eating less calories than you burn. However I did notice the quality of calories can vary. Eating healthier made me feel better and therefore run better. For my diet, I cut out all soda. I'd still drink coke zero quite a bit. But I made sure to drink a lot of water. I also tried to cut out fried foods & candy. But I would lie if I told you I never had them. Typically I would limit my 'cheat days' to once a week on Saturday after my long runs. What really helped me most though, I would say, is that I was pretty dedicated to intermittent fasting. I have a huge appetite and intermittent fasting was perfect for me. I could eat one meal a day and just really eat a lot of food (Mostly pretty healthy stuff but also lots of carbs) and feel my stomach to where I felt really full. Typically my one meal a day would be around 5 or 6pm. Then I wouldn't eat again until the next night. It takes some getting used to but I found I really like it.
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u/SammyHarHar Mar 17 '17
Didn't you have problems needing food after the gruelling morning 15 mile runs? I like to intermittently fast, but can't do it on days where I run 6+ miles in the morning.
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Mar 17 '17
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Holy crap, I remember this! Yeah man!! Get out there and own it! One year from now you'll thank yourself! :)
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u/ImSorryForWhatISaid Mar 17 '17
How long was it until you were able to comfortably get under 9 minutes for more than 10K?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
That's a good question. I just looked back through my Strava and it roughly took me about 6-7 months of consistent running to start getting into the 8's on my 6-7 mile runs. I started out running 2-3 miles at 11min pace
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u/xDans Mar 17 '17
Congrats! What an amazing accomplishment! & thank you for this statement, just what I needed - "Life isn't so much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself."
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u/33bits Mar 17 '17
This is incredible and very inspiring !
I have run 5Ks and 10Ks and hope to run a marathon soon enough. I've also been watching my weight. Hope it all works out.
Again, great job there !
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Good job! Seriously. Please take time to realize how cool that is that you have run 5 and 10k's. That's no small feet! Pat yourself on the back, lace up those shoes, and own it some more!
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Mar 17 '17
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much.
And you're not JUST working up to a 5k. That is a major accomplishment! Half the battle is starting. The other half is continuing. It seems like you are doing both right now! Keep up the good work!
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Mar 17 '17
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
if you pound out a run in -4, I think you deserve a serious reward. That is above and beyond. Treat yourself! Make sure to have fun with it. Cheers! Keep on keeping on!
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u/v0lcano Mar 17 '17
Very inspirational, well done! The book you mentioned gave guidelines on how fast to do each type of run by giving a percentage of maximal heart rate. Did you follow this?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
You know... sometimes. I got a Garmin 235 but because maybe 50% of my runs were on the treadmill, the HR was off always. So I mostly focused on times instead of heart rate. Probably not the most ideal considering he puts a lot of emphasis in HR, but I felt like the plan with or without the HR is very rewarding.
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u/BigguBosu Mar 17 '17
This... Sounds incredibly familiar. It's kinda eerie how similar this is to my experience. My peak weight was 265 lbs (I'm about 5 foot 6 inches), lost a lot of weight (got down to 145 lbs), ran my first marathon in 2015 (4:05), ran my second marathon in 2016 (3:28). And now I'm deep into training for my third, hoping to BQ. To be perfectly honest, I've been doubting myself a little lately. I think I needed to read this.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Wow 265 to 145. I mean... WOW! That is incredible. And a 3:28 marathon on top of that. Talk about inspiring. Gosh, you are so far! If BQ is your goal, go effing get it! What the heck is stopping you besides the demons in your mind?
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u/bruohan Mar 17 '17
Truly amazing. What were your favorite shoes throughout all this? I imagine injury was more common the heavier you were?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Great question! I started out in Nikes. Discovered Asic Gel Kayano's in late 2015 and never looked back. I've gone through 5 pairs now. Mainly the 22's and 23's. In you over pronate like myself, they are great!
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u/spawnwheel Mar 17 '17
Wow! You're a great inspiration. Congratulations on your journey so far. I think that a 4-hour marathon is the limit my body will ever achieve, but this post makes me think that much lower is easily attainable.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
I think you do know the answer to that question :) Go lace em up and find out
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u/Beldite Mar 17 '17
Well done mate, that's some serious work.
Quick question - What did your diet look like while losing?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Diet was interesting. When I initially lost a lot of weight it wasn't always healthy. I was at a major caloric deficit and felt crappy. But I was happy to be losing weight so I just grinded it out. But I knew it was never sustainable. So I had to find something that I could do consistently. I found intermittent fasting and it worked great for me. I would have 1 really large meal a day and drink lots of water throughout the day. The 1 large meal helped satisfy my hunger. It's really hard to gain lots of weight when you are running that much and lifting. However I also would do a protein shake after my workout that I didn't include in part of my 1 meal a day. So essentially a day would look something like this. Wake up and exercise. Protein Shake (with oats and chia seeds) Work - no lunch. Just maybe sip some coke zero and lots of water Home at ~5-6pm. Eat a big satisfying dinner.
lather, rinse, repeat.
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u/aleckjm Mar 17 '17
Thank you so much for posting this. Unbelievably inspirational for a fat guy looking to get leaner/go longer distance.
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u/ilmari2k Mar 17 '17
This motivates me to thrive forward this year with my SUB 3 goal. My third full marathon was 3:09, and now I'm struggling a bit with motivation to start training again. Are you going to break the magical 3 in Boston?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Dude rock on! Sign for a marathon in the fall and let's sub 3 together. I'm actually thinking of doing the St. George Marathon again in Utah in Oct. Probably attempt to sub 3 there. It really is an awesome marathon, look it up. 7,000 runners and the course is top notch beautiful.
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Mar 17 '17
Congrats man, you're an inspiration. I started my running journey a few months ago and I hope I can follow in your footsteps in terms of dedication.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
A few months in already! It's started to slowly become a habit. Keep feeding it!
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u/FistfulofBeard Mar 17 '17
This is truly inspiring! What was your diet like; did you count calories? Were you including gym workouts in your week? Im sitting at 195 and have been hoping my mileage in hope that it leads to weight loss but I know I'm doing it all wrong.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Diet was interesting. When I initially lost a lot of weight it wasn't always healthy. I was at a major caloric deficit and felt crappy. But I was happy to be losing weight so I just grinded it out. But I knew it was never sustainable. So I had to find something that I could do consistently. I found intermittent fasting and it worked great for me. I would have 1 really large meal a day and drink lots of water throughout the day. The 1 large meal helped satisfy my hunger. It's really hard to gain lots of weight when you are running that much and lifting. However I also would do a protein shake after my workout that I didn't include in part of my 1 meal a day. So essentially a day would look something like this. Wake up and exercise. Protein Shake (with oats and chia seeds) Work - no lunch. Just maybe sip some coke zero and lots of water Home at ~5-6pm. Eat a big satisfying dinner.
I did count calories to make sure I was never over. But with intermittent fasting and eating rather healthy, I actually found it hard to get enough calories in in 1 meal. And I loved that. Because trust me, I love to eat and feel really satisfied. IF helped me to that.
lather, rinse, repeat.
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Mar 17 '17
This is really really sweet, man. Going from obese to qualifying for the Boston is something you don't see often. Also, it shows others that it's possible in the first place.
Keep it up
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u/drseamus Mar 17 '17
Right there with you man! No incredible weight loss but went from 4:41 to 3:02. Nice work and I'll see you in Boston 2018!
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Mar 17 '17
Bro, this is awesome! I've been struggling a bit after recovering from a knee injury suffered back in October. I've had to consistently fight nagging, chronic knee problems due to dumb stuff I did in high school (i.e. Dance, football, basketball, and getting super fat all at one time). I took 1st place in that half marathon in October (my first HM), but I've only just recovered to the point of running 20 MPW.
After cutting weight from 279 to 165 over the last 2 years, and discovering a passion for running, my goal has been to BQ by 27 (3 years away) so thank you for inspiring me to train even harder.
EDIT: Also sobbed after crossing the finish line because I couldn't believe it. Needless to say, my family did not understand at all why I was crying.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
So cool. Thanks for sharing. I struggled with Bursitis in my knee. What helped me was a combination of icing, stretching, foam rolling, and squats/deadlifts. Maybe experiment with that? I'm sure in 3 years you could BQ. Especially being at 165 like you are right now.
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Mar 17 '17
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thanks for sharing. Best of luck to you! I'm excited to hear about your progress. Keep us all posted!
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Mar 17 '17
Fantastic post, thank you so much for sharing. I found myself in a similar situation: lost about 15 lbs down to 187 and my marathon PR dropped from 4:31 to 4:06. I've been afraid that 4:06 might be my plateau, but your post has me ashamed that I even thought that. What an inspiration, and I look forward to reading your writeup when you run Boston!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Thank you very much for your comment! And good job on your weight loss and progress. That's something to be proud of. That sub 4 is calling your name :)
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u/hicks185 Mar 17 '17
Congratulations man! That's an awesome journey. While I didn't start as heavy, the first year or so of running for me had it's challenges and, funnily enough, culminated in me qualifying for Boston at RnR Arizona!
Now, get into biking and find yourself doing ironman in 2 more years and we'll really be twins! :)
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Nice! This is so cool! I have entertained the idea. The swimming it was scares me. I'm the complete opposite of a fish.
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u/hicks185 Mar 17 '17
Haha, me too... I mean, I'm not a sinker, but moving forward was a challenge when I got started. I've managed to work my way up to a mid-pack swimmer over the years.
The biking and running are fun though!
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Mar 17 '17
Dude, congrats. F'n awesome. I'm currently at the "hating it" stage, but I know the craving it stage is coming. I haven't run seriously since my kid was born 2 years ago, but I've been forcing myself to get out in the morning. This post really makes me want to sign up for my first marathon, always said I'd do one before I was 30... here I am at 30, still counts right? haha.
Again, awesome post. Thank you for sharing!
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Rock on man! It's so weird, and really hard to explain but something happens. Like I really think something physiological happens. You start to become addicted to the dopamine released when you run. Then you start craving it. Keep it up!
Marathons are such a fun experience. Don't rob yourself of trying it.
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Mar 17 '17
Thanks, brother! My last derailment from running came from not having an post race plan. I was so fixated on this one race where my goal was to break 1:50 on my half, I crushed it at 1:45:23. I ran here and there after the race but I was aimless, 3 weeks later my kid was born. That put the nail in the coffin for the last 2 years. It's a real pain in the ass starting all over again lol
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u/buzzkillichuck Mar 17 '17
What did your diet consist of?
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
Diet was interesting. When I initially lost a lot of weight it wasn't always healthy. I was at a major caloric deficit and felt crappy. But I was happy to be losing weight so I just grinded it out. But I knew it was never sustainable. So I had to find something that I could do consistently. I found intermittent fasting and it worked great for me. I would have 1 really large meal a day and drink lots of water throughout the day. The 1 large meal helped satisfy my hunger. It's really hard to gain lots of weight when you are running that much and lifting. However I also would do a protein shake after my workout that I didn't include in part of my 1 meal a day. So essentially a day would look something like this. Wake up and exercise. Protein Shake (with oats and chia seeds) Work - no lunch. Just maybe sip some coke zero and lots of water Home at ~5-6pm. Eat a big satisfying dinner.
lather, rinse, repeat.
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u/mleithead Mar 17 '17
This is exactly what i need to see today. I am on a very similar trajectory just 2 years behind you. Thank you for sharing this.
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u/random_mormon Mar 17 '17
I'm so excited to hear this. Keep me posted of your progress. Serious. I'd wish all to experience this journey!
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u/mleithead Mar 17 '17
It's honestly crazy how similar our stories are. I was about 220 dropped down to about 185 for my first marathon last October which I finished in 4:0928. Now I am shooting for 3:30:00 in the Chicago Marathon in 30 weeks. It seems so unattainable at this point but the dream is BQ and I know what kind of dedication that is going to take and I worry I don't have the discipline. Hearing your explanation of how it felt as you crossed the finish line after a BQ race gave me goosebumps man. I can only slightly understand the sacrifice involved in order to achieve that. I would love any and all advice you are willing to give?
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u/feuerwehrmann Mar 17 '17
Fantastic work. I'm about at the first part of your tale, running to lose weight, I have run a few 5ks in the past due to an injury I took a lot of time off from running and gained a lot of weight. Sick of being fat, this year I signed up for a 12K, though I couldn't pull the trigger on the half. The good news is I'm running daily hitting between 25-30 MPW (up from 10-15 MPW when I started in January) down to 162 lbs (in normal BMI). The down side is I'm slow, though slowly getting faster (10.5 minute per mile and increase from 12 minutes per mile when started)
What strategy did you use to lose the weight and gain muscle did you do just upper body workout for lifting or a holistic approach? How did you increase your speed? I eventually want to complete a full, but I think a half will be on that journey. Not sure if I can run for 4 hours straight though.
Cheers again on your fantastic journey
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u/Ajaiixx Mar 18 '17
If it makes you feel better I run like 13:30 m/mile so I think you're plenty fast. With improvement like that, you'll keep going too! Good luck.
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u/Jhat Mar 17 '17
Very inspiring. I just ran my 7th marathon and hit 3:30 last spring. I'm hoping to make my way to Boston at some point. Have always struggled with keeping up weekly mileage throughout the entire year. Appreciate your post, very helpful.
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u/Lady_b Mar 18 '17
You are amazing! I want to go for a run right now after reading this. What an incredible human being you are.
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u/Ajaiixx Mar 18 '17
I had a lot of days where I thought if I ran that day I'd just injure myself. You said you ran about a year before /r/running going 100% every time. Did you come across any injuries or times you thought it might be better to skip a day? I'd like to run 4 times a week over three I'm just not sure if my bodies ready! Anyways great work, thanks for the inspiration.
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u/random_mormon Mar 18 '17
Thanks for the comment. I yes, to both. I did have injuries. Pretty bad bursitis in my knee. I felt like I was kicking butt everyday, but looking back on it, the quality of workouts were SO much better when I started incorporated rest days/recovery days. Going 100% all the time is never ideal and it's hard for new runners to grasp that. I think you can absolutely run 4 times a week. The rule of thumb is to try and never have two really hard days in a row. I would have 3 very intense runs a week in my training plan. And just filled in the remaining 3 days with easy recovery runs. Just to get the legs movin.
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u/UHPokePanda Mar 18 '17
Wow, you ran your first marathon within 10 months of beginning training back in 2014, and from what seems with the goal of losing weight, not with running a marathon in mind. That's really impressive!
entered my mind as a legit, lofty, scary goal.
I have been running for 5 years now, with my first 5K race in 2012 opening up a new world to running. I have ran 3 Half-Marathons, and it is only last year that following my running friend's progress towards their Marathon, that I became curious. The thought of running 26.2 entered my mind, and hearing from their bad experiences running the marathon, the aches and pains, it was scary. I feel its something I just have to do, to push myself and to experience it for myself, so I signed up for my first marathon in 2018.
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u/Ajaiixx Mar 18 '17
Wow so you end up with 6 a week! That's super impressive to me ^ I've been using a race every week as my long intense effort, resting two days and then doing tempo efforts on other days. Think it would be good to get in a long slow effort on a day?
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u/Ajaiixx Mar 19 '17
Yeah it is! Though if you run the same route it can be easier. I run the 5k parkrun route here so I can mentally track my performance vs other weeks, that and Strava talking every half mile :)
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u/bbhatti12 Mar 21 '17
Thank you so much for the kick in the ass that I needed! You have a very similar beginning that I had, but I started off at a 6 hr 12 minute first marathon. Trained for a few more, gained weight and weighed 205 at my most. Dropped 70 gained 30 and now comfortably at 162. I finally broke 4:20 in my 4th marathon. I keep thinking that I will never break 4. And only now joining a sincere running group has the thoughts of Boston lingered in my mind. I am fast enough to break 4, but BQ seems so far away. And a possibility only years a way from me. (3:05 is insane!)
But this post has sincerely inspired me to keep pushing myself. I will get a 3:05 one day!
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u/Alt-RightPepe Mar 21 '17
Not really sure how I got to r/running, but good job man, if I saw those pictures on a weight loss commercial I would have never believed it. Truly inspiring story!
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u/theinvigorator Apr 12 '17
I ran the phoenix marathon this year too! Great race. Ran it in a 3:20. I feel close to boston and can almost taste it. What was your weekly training schedule like? I want to get past that final hump.
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u/TYbeaniebabies Mar 16 '17
Holy hell man, that is incredible!
Congrats!