Straight answers from my own training and races. Start with your question, then follow the link into My Own System for the full explanation.
This is my personal experience, not a one-size-fits-all training plan. My routines have changed over time, and what works for me may need adjusting for you.
Getting started
Do you really train for marathons on three runs a week?
Yes. My original marathon build centered on three runs a week, rarely four: a long run, an easy recovery run, and a quality session. That did not mean I only trained three days. Strength work, walking, mobility, nutrition, and recovery supported those runs. The distances and paces in my outline describe my own build, not a beginner's starting point. I use it to show how the pieces fit together, rather than suggest everyone copy my mileage.
I adjust it. Sleep, work, weather, stress, and how my legs feel all affect what makes sense that day. If the roads are icy, I do not think an 18-mile instruction should outrank safety. In my guide, I describe moving a run, splitting it, or using a treadmill when conditions change. I prefer an ongoing conversation about training over blindly following a static schedule. The bigger goal matters more than forcing one workout.
I don't like gels. What do you use to fuel a marathon?
I use homemade maple syrup and honey fuel with a pinch of salt, alternating with pitted dates. I carry the homemade mix in a small flask and the dates in a bag. I also use Clif Bloks around the start. So I am not avoiding every kind of gel: I make my own instead of relying on conventional gel packets. My fueling guide explains the pattern and recipes. I practice the system on long runs before taking it into a race.
Is carb loading just a big pasta dinner the night before?
Not in my system. I treat the final 48 hours before a marathon as a planned carb-loading window, rather than trying to fit everything into one dinner. I prioritize carbohydrates, reduce fat, and keep protein moderate to make room for the fuel. Rice, potatoes, bagels, fruit, honey, and my endurance granola are among the foods in my guide. I use familiar foods and a repeatable routine. The chapter includes my food choices and bodyweight-based targets, not just a pasta-night suggestion.
I keep breakfast familiar and leave time to digest and use the bathroom. My fueling guide starts with a carbohydrate anchor such as a bagel, white toast with jelly, or my lean endurance granola. Fruit, honey, coffee, and my usual hydration routine are also part of the plan. I get up early rather than rush a meal on the way out. These are foods and routines I have practiced, not a new breakfast experiment for race morning.
Absolutely. I practice my fueling approach during long runs so race day is not the first time I try the food, the timing, or the amount. In my guide, that practice is part of the system, not an optional extra. The maple and honey mix, dates, and hydration routine need to work while I am moving, not just sound good on paper. I use training to learn what I can comfortably take in and repeat.
Why lift weights if the goal is to run a marathon?
For me, running is one part of a bigger system. My strength chapter explains why I train legs and core alongside running and mobility. Squats build strength through a range of motion that running alone does not give me, and core control helps me hold my form when I get tired. I built that strength progressively over years. The weights and repetitions shown are my experience, not a starting prescription for someone new to lifting.
No. For me, recovery includes good sleep, stretching, nutrition, and active recovery such as walking, hiking, yoga, or a slow easy run. I do not treat one stretch or one tool as a replacement for all the other pieces. My recovery chapter brings those habits together, while my training outline shows where easier movement fits between harder sessions. The point is to support the next run, not turn every day into another hard workout.
How do you keep track of when running shoes need replacing?
I add each pair to Strava so the mileage is logged with my runs. I set a reminder at 250 miles as a check-in, giving myself time to look at the shoes and arrange a replacement before a race. That reminder is not an automatic instruction to throw them away at 250 miles. My gear chapter explains the process and how I add and retire shoes. I want race-day shoes broken in, not brand new or already worn out.
Why do you book a hotel with a kitchen for a marathon?
A kitchen makes it easier for me to stick to the food I have already practiced eating. Race travel adds enough variables without having to improvise every meal or depend on a restaurant having what I need. My logistics chapter includes my hotel setup and explains how I protect the routine before the race. I would rather keep the pre-race food predictable and save the celebration for afterward. It is part of planning the weekend, not just booking somewhere to sleep.