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6 Minute PR and 17 Minute BQ 💙💛

By on August 18, 2024 in Coaching, PR, Success Story

We’d like to give a shoutout to our client Kristen Williamson. After having a baby in 2022, she decided to go after a Boston Qualifying time. She writes,

“After having my son in December 2022, I really wanted to try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I didn’t know if it was realistic but I wanted to try.

I ran two marathons in the fall of 2023 with the hope of qualifying. I went in to both races unsure if I was in shape to qualify and was still breastfeeding while training for both. Neither went as planned and I was feeling a bit discouraged. Both races did prove that a BQ really could be within reach. Continue Reading →

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2 Successful Training Blocks

By on July 1, 2024 in Coaching, Success Story

Thanks to Michael Broberg for sharing his experience with MTA Coaching! He writes,

“Hello, I wanted to share that I’ve had a great experience with Coach Henry. He guided me through 2 successful training blocks!

I’m a new runner so the main reason I wanted to get a coach was to set up some good habits, avoid injury and learn how to train properly. I also wanted to learn about nutrition, warm ups etc.

I am very pleased and grateful Henry was able to provide all these fundamentals! Also realized a great thing about having a coach is that it gave me accountability and added motivation to show up for the workouts. Continue Reading →

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Over 3 minutes faster than my previous PR!

By on June 17, 2024 in Success Story

Emily with her dad at the Colfax Marathon

Congrats to Emily N. on earning a PR at the Colfax Marathon in Colorado! She writes,

“I have been listening to the MTA podcast since 2018 when I started training for my first marathon. Your voices have accompanied me on many of my training runs over the years.

Since 2018, I have run a handful of marathons with my fastest being a 3:42:42 on a downhill course (St. George) in 2019. Due to the large net downhill of that race, for the past few years I doubted whether I would be able to beat that time on a flat course.

This year, I decided to finally go for it. I followed your 3:40 training plan and the training went very smoothly. I ran the Colfax Marathon in Denver in May and finished in 3:39:16, over 3 minutes faster than my previous PR.

Thanks so much for your effective training plan! I haven’t done much speed work since high school and this plan made the speed workouts very easy to approach and understand. I also liked that the plan only included 4 days of running per week, because I think that helped me avoid feeling burnt out.

Also, thank you for all you do to help the running community! I hope you get to feel the positive impact you are making.” -Emily N.

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Invaluable Tools to My Success

By on June 3, 2024 in Success Story

Congrats to Academy member Lisa from Canada who just crossed the finish line strong at her 4th marathon! She writes,

“Hi guys, Just wanted to say thanks so much for the great podcast and all the awesome information that you share. I finished my 4th marathon on Sunday at the 60th anniversary of the Calgary Marathon, Canada’s longest running marathon.

I completed my run 45 minutes quicker than last year thanks to your training plan and strength training program which were invaluable tools to my success.

I finally met my goal of receiving my medal at the finish line instead of receiving it in the mail which was amazing.

My kid ran the last few hundred meters with me and then commented afterwards how tired they were and couldn’t believe I had ran 42 k before that. Thanks again and keep up the awesome work. -Lisa

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1st in Age Group at Trail Marathon

By on May 6, 2024 in Coaching, Masters Runner, Success Story, Trail Running

Congrats to our coaching client Luis who finished the Ultra Blue Island Marathon in Portugal and won his age group! He writes,

“Completed my trail marathon race with a time of 5:53:48. The race was cut by 6Ks due to high winds at the original arrival location because it is sandy and volcanic ashes; the winds could cause issues to runners.

If I had to continue to 42k, since it was 6K all downhill, based on my last lap of 6:21, I would have had 6:28ish, meaning MTA Coach Henry helped me shave off one hour from last year’s time.

I came in 37th overall out of 208 (42K-runners & young ones too) and 1st out of 7 in my M60 age group!

I’m also fired up because this route was actually harder than last year’s as they made some changes to within the first 20Ks pretty much uphill: we had “1K” of going up stairs (never seen this before) and 2Ks were actually steeper stairs and muddy (it poured the night before) and it felt like dancing tango: one step forward two backwards. Lots of fun! 😉” Continue Reading →

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PR at the London Marathon

By on May 4, 2024 in Coaching, PR, Success Story

Congrats to our coaching client Alicia who earned a 5 minute PR at the London Marathon! She writes,

“The London Marathon was simply amazing! The crowd support is out of this world. There are no words to properly describe the joy you have when crossing over Tower Bridge!

I finished with a time of 3:52:56 which is a 5 min PR and what I am calling my B and a half goal 🤣 I couldn’t be happier with this finish! Thanks Coach Abby for getting me to another start line and helping me to continue to chase my goals!”

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Mother Daughter Marathon Magic

By on April 23, 2024 in Coaching, Success Story

Congrats to Sarah who earned her BQ running 4:16 at the Eugene Marathon! Her daughter Emily paced her to a strong finish. Both Sarah and Emily are coached by MTA Coach Abby. Emily writes,

“Huge shoutout to Coach Abby who helped my mom and I train for today’s Eugene marathon! My mom is 62 and needed a 4:20 to BQ and we finished in in 4:16:31!!!

We are incredibly grateful for the MTA community. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without everyone!!”

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BQ with the help of MTA Coaching

By on April 15, 2024 in Coaching, Success Story

Congrats to our client Robin Walters who earned a BQ with a 16 minute buffer at the Revel Mt. Charleston Marathon!! She writes,

“I can’t even begin to express my thanks to the GOAT Coach Athena and the entire Marathon Training Academy fam!!

The podcasts, the training, all the resources have taken me from my first marathon in 2020 at 4:19:01 to my fifth today at 3:34:20!!

The course was killer on the legs and the last few miles were brutal but the solid training enabled me to push through to the end. What an amazing thing to be getting faster as I’m getting older! 🙌🏻 Thanks MTA!!”

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Half Marathon PR Through Coaching

By on March 27, 2024 in Coaching, Half Marathon, Success Story

Congrats to our coaching client Dave who PR in the half marathon on his way to running his first full marathon this year. He writes,

“I ran some in high school and then stopped. I’m now 51 years old and started hiking again after having a mini stroke in 2021 then on a hike in January of 2022 I broke my ankle.

Sitting in bed not able to walk I mentally started telling myself I wanted to walk and run again and to try and run a marathon. Later that year in October I ran a half marathon in Long beach California with a time of 2:56.

In 2023 I started to run a little more and trained for a 15 mile run in September finishing that with 2:50 time (or 11:21 pace) the half PR I had for this 15 mile race was 2:28.

In December I started with Coach Cindy with my eye on the Long beach Marathon in October of this year. One of the races I had working up to a full marathon was Oakland Half.

Cindy had a great plan to get here and the goal time for the half this weekend was 2:19 which would have been significantly below by PR already. And I finished yesterday’s half marathon with a time of 2:11:34.

The course had some hills that slowed me down some but overall I am very pleased with how I ran and very pleased with the race and the coaching I got along the way from Coach Cindy.” -Dave G.

Ready to run your next PR? Work with an expert running coach.

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First Marathon and Hungry for More

By on March 24, 2024 in Coaching, Success Story

Congrats to our coaching client Tarah on successfully completing her first marathon! This is what we love to hear. She writes,

“I reached out to MTA to find a coach that could meet me where I was at and push me a little too – and I found that in coach Athena.

I was coming off a hip injury and lots of physical therapy but had a goal to run my first marathon this year in Maui.

Athena provided me with structure and accountability. I found this to be enormously helpful because I tend to push myself too hard and then *big surprise* get injured! Continue Reading →

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