Marathon Training Program:
Testimonials

Thanks to your program and by sticking to your training schedules, I was able to run two marathons in 2012: June�s Christchurch Marathon and November�s Southland Festival of Sports Marathon. Your advice is superb and I recommend this website to anyone considering long distance running. My wife bought your book for me, The Everything Running book, 3rd edition. I have read it with interest and am considering the minimalistic route for my running shoes. However, I�m not quite ready to jump to barefoot running out here in the country! You described the foot strike very well and I feel it has improved my running immensely. Thanks again for your website, book, and training advice. I�m now a happy runner with no injuries!

Kurt F.
Kirwee, Canterbury - New Zealand

I am not a beginning runner, although I took a break off running because I had bad knees. I was going to start back up again after I fixed my knees but then I started smoking. Well, completing a marathon has been my dream since I was eight and now I have quit smoking, been done for awhile, and I started using this training program. This program is great! I don�t follow it spot on because on the rest days, I have too much energy so I do aerobics and Palates. With the way things are going, I will be able to run a marathon soon. I even signed up for one in May of this year. I cannot believe I am this close to my dreams. It is as if I have almost reached the stars!

Max S.
Milaca

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.
 
Kindest regards,
 
Wade C.
Concord, Ontario

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.

Troy F.
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.
 
Wade H.
McDonough, GA

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 :)

Christopher K.
Mattituck, NY

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.

Glenn
gisborne new zealand

I just completed the Paris marathon in 3hours, 52minutes using your training schedule. It worked a treat. Thanks!

Emmet
Wexford, Ireland

Tom D.
NJ

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!

Cheryl N.
Wallingford, VT

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!

Eric
Gardner, MA

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.

Bill L.
Basehor, KS

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!

Prashant T.
India

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!!

Daniel V.
Chillicothe, OH

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.
Pune, India

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!

Peter C.
Sydney, Australia

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.

Lisa
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.

Kripa S.
Jaipur, India

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!

Bob K.
Salina, KS

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.

Tony K.
Annaheim, CA
Saskatchewan, Canada

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!

Rama
Hyderabad,India

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.

Dave T.
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!

Lara D.
New Zealand

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!

Kerry
New Jersey

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!

MRM
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!

William L.
Basehor, KS

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.

Mohd Naim
Delhi, India

Your website has given me very good inputs and, I have just completed my half marathon successfully

Chirag Shah
India

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.

Nicola S.
New Zealand

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!

Mike B.
Gilbertsville, PA

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!

Noam
Israel

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!

Phil
Chicago, IL

The training charts worked like a charm. I just finished my 2nd New York Marathon injury free. Thanks for the virtual coaching!

SW
NJ

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.

Caitlin
Boston, MA

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.

Barry
Cherry Hill, NJ

Your website provides a very structured and step by step approach. It fulfilled all my needs� thanks!

Shailendra
India

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!

Liz
Calgary, AB

�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?

Carey
Seattle, WA

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!

Steve C.
Stockton, CA

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.

Perry P.
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.

Matt
Frankenmuth, MI

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!

Amy
Chattanooga, TN

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!

Triz
Murrieta, Ca

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!

Michelle
Piqua, OH

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!

Bill
Boston, MA

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.

Leslie G.
United States

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.

Janet M.
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!

Blaine H.
College Station, TX

Carlos V.
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!

Blaine H
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!!!

Dianna T.
Singapore

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.

Jason
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.

Robert L.
Greenville, NC

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.

Paul M.
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!

Sinead
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.

Bill M.
Stoneham, MA

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!

Tom K.
Chicago, IL

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!

Gustavo A.
Bothell, WA

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.

Scott M.
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!

Celeste S.
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.

Jane
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!

Brenda C.
Longview, WA

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.

Gilles L.
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!

Stephan
Cork, Ireland

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!

Santanu
Madison, WI

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!

Dr. Laudi
Albuquerque, NM

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!!

Jennifer M.
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!

David F.
Appleton, WI

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.

Katy G.
Phoenix, AZ

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.

Dale
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.

Tim

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 helping people!

Matthew H.
Sacramento, CA

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!

John A.
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.

Robert S.
Yakama, WA

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.

Bernie
Australia

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.

Barry C.
Cork City, Ireland

John E.
Buffalo, NY

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!

Dave P.
Richmond, VA

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.

Rick D.
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!

Scott K.
New Jersey

Jaime M.
Aurora, CO

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.

Wanda S.
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.

Karel C
Chicago, IL
Veneux, France

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!

Jim B.
Clay, NY

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. Best Regards

Steve M.
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.

Mary G.
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. Thanks!

Eric W.
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!

Lu C.
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!

Michelle K.
Hilliard, OH

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. Thanks again!

Tim L.
Denver, CO

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.

Mike N.
Annapolis, MD

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!!

Marc Y.
Liberbyville, IL

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!

Gary C.
Lafayette, LA

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.

Pat W.
Raleigh, NC

Wendy M.
Conyers, GA

Richie D.
Ireland

Montpellier, France
Francois G.

Jarlath
Dublin, Ireland

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! Thanks again.

Brian M.
Livingston, NJ

Ramesh K
Fairfax, VA

Michael D.
Rollinsville, CO

Sadie C.
Portland, OR

Gerdette A.
Belfast, N. Ireland

John D.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ann Marie C.
Chicago, IL

Tara
Los Angeles, CA

Lori M.
Sammamish, WA

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!

Lori M.
Sammamish, WA

Jennifer R.
Omaha, NE

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!

Tom H.
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!

Lawrence R
Madison, WI

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 you.

Bryan M.
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 beyond!

Trish F.
Boston, MA

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!!!

C.C.
Scarsdale, NY

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!

Sarah M.
Smithfield, UT

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 work.

Jeremy K.
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!

Ian C.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A great website... Cheers for the good work!

Jennifer
US

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.

Anna M.
Moorhead, MN

Dave P.
Chicago, IL

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.

Tim K.
Burleson, TX

Dan C.
South San Francisco, CA

Zachary S.
Brighton, England

Alex H.
Brooklyn, NY

John C.
Dublin, Ireland

Lauren Muney, CPFT and CHC
www.physicalmind.com
Laurel, MD

Margie H.
Madrid, NY

Kim O.
Washington, DC

Bonnie R.
Chicago, IL

Ronald M.
Makati City, Philippines

Randy T.
Columbia, SC

Robert H.
Glasgow, Scotland

Gigi
Boston, MA

Dave Y.
Wallsend, UK

Kristen E.
Great Falls, MT

Joe P.
Kansas City, MO

David R.
Manitowoc, WI

Andrew C.
England

Ethan S.
Ottawa, KS

Sarah T. (along with Whitney, Kim, and Blanca)
Scottsdale, AZ

Mike H.
Dayton, OH

Eva B-M
Houston, TX

Max
Singapore

Kevin J.
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!

Lorraine H.
Glasgow, Scotland

Yolanda
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!

Lauro U.
Las Vegas, NV

Amy L.
Atlanta, GA

I'm planning to run my first marathon this November. This site has been very helpful so far!

Christy K.
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!

Kirk B.
Raleigh, NC

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!

Heather P.
Bowmanville, Canada

A really interesting experience to visit your website.

G.S.M.
Poland

Very nice site… It will definitely come in handy for my running schedule.

Ben
Israel

Thank you for you time.Your site will be very helpful to me and my family.

James C.
Michigan

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.

Mark T.
Baltimore, MD

Autumn

Steve H.
Doylestown, PA

Howard K.
London, Ontario - Canada

Jeffrey G.
Nashville, TN

Scott M.
Rocklin, CA

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 again!

Karoline
Germany

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.
Okinawa, Japan

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

Martyn B.
Cologne, Germany

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…

Rob H.
MN

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!

Marley K.
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.

Steve H.
Seattle, WA

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!

Paul R.
Milwaukee WI

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!

John
Berne, Switzerland

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 You!!

Jason
Alameda, CA

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!

Tara C
London, UK

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.

Mike P.
Minneapolis, MN

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.

Erin W.
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!

Leontine S.
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!

Todd B.
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 Art!!

Dave Y.
Spokane, WA

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 my results.

Bob B.
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.

Ant C.
Auckland, New Zealand

Ed
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!

Jeremy L.
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!

Nicole

“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 site!

Laurie
Savannah, MO

I'm running my first marathon in January. Your site has been really helpful with my training. Thanks!

Angie G.
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!

Alison
Gunnison, CO

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.

Kenneth N.
Vancleave, MS

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!

Marthann H.
Newport, RI

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.

Tracy B.

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 site!

David P
Barcelona, Spain

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!

Oscar N.
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 are answered.

Mischka
Bastrop, TX

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.

Glenda O.
Talbott, TN

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!!

Nila E.
Duncan, SC

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.

Carla U.
Middleton, MA

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!

Kenn F.
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.

Walt S.
Pace, FL

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.

Dale B.
Austin, TX

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.

Bryan K
Austin, TX

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!

Dave D.
Glendale, AZ

Looking to do my 1st Marathon. Your site is clear and concise, a real find.

Jim W.
Boston, MA

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!

Joyce
Hong Kong

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!

Philip A.
Austin, TX

This is a very good and well put together site.

Rick B.
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!

Nila E.
Duncan, SC

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!

Raquel
Louisville, KY

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.

Donovan
South Africa

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!

Rachel
Austin, TX

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!

Todd G.
Springville, UT

Very informative site. Love it, will share it with my friends.

Rick D.
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 your site.

Steve H.
Sherman, TX

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.

Kyle J.
Lewiston, Maine

Love your site and expert advice. Due to your site I ran my first marathon successfully and completed it in my goal time.

Robyn
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!

Michael H.
Ireland

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 everything!

H.F.M.
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.

James S.
Ridgewood, NJ

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.

Joel M.
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!

Shawn C.
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!

Matthew H.
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 something awesome.

Dru T.
Houston, TX

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!

Jeff S.
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 this time.

Amy F.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

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!

Kate
Memphis TN

An excellent site. Outstanding information. Well done!

Wayne G.
Australia