I'd like to start by thanking the incredible crowd and all the supporters in New York. It was an amazing feeling to have people screaming your name for 26.2 miles on a frigid, windy day. You all made it an unforgettable experience, and I hope to relive it next year. I would also like to thank the New York Road Runners for taking care of me from the moment I stepped off the plane. Everyone was delighted to go the extra mile to make sure the athletes had everything they needed for a great race. Thank you David and Jane Monti, and Mary Wittenberg for a flawless effort during such a complicated and demanding event.
As for the race, I would have liked to have finished a bit stronger than I did. I thought my training reflected better fitness than my result, but that is all a part of racing the marathon. You never know what will happen on the day. I definitely gave it all I had and have no regrets. It was frustrating to only get two of my seven Powerbar bottles at fluid stations, but I tried to adjust the best I could. It's difficult to say what kind of an effect this had on the result, but it wasn't positive. The matter is still being looked into, but it seems that another athlete may have been taking my bottles by mistake. Bad luck. I am honored to be the first American in such a deep field and under some tough conditions. I believe races like this help build character and mental toughness and will be very helpful in my future marathon endeavors.
Eva and I are in the middle of packing for our trip to Patagonia. I'm looking forward to the mental and physical break from training, but I know that once the soreness subsides I'll be itching to get back to training. The 10-day hike will be demanding enough to keep training out of my thoughts for a healthy amount of time. After giving myself some time to reflect, Dave, my agent (Jurrie), and I will start to discuss options for the spring.
Below is my entire build-up for the marathon for anyone interested in taking a look. I plan on posting the same way going into my next marathon, so feel free to comment or start a dialogue with me. I love talking about training and am always interested in speaking to those with more marathon experience than myself. I'm pumped to have signed on with Brooks for another 3 years! They have supported me since I graduated from Oklahoma State, and it will continue through the 2016 Olympics. I would not still be running competitively without them. Keep that in mind when you buy your next pair of shoes or winter running gear ;) Brooks cares about American distance running. I'll post some pictures from Patagonia, and I'm looking forward to a big spring racing season!
| Week 1 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 12 + drills and grass strides | 6 | 18 | |
| Tuesday | 4 mile tempo @ 19:20 | 5 | 1 hour | 17 |
| Wednesday | 11.5 | 5.5 | 17 | |
| Thursday | 15 | 1 hour | 15 | |
| Friday | 15 x 200 @ 30-32, 200 jog recovery | 7 | 17 | |
| Saturday | 11.5 | 5.5 | 40 minutes core | 17 |
| Sunday | 10 mile tempo @ 5:10 | 19 | ||
| 120 | ||||
| Week 2 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 13 miles + drills and grass strides | 5 | 18 | |
| Tuesday | 13 | 5 | 1 hour | 18 |
| Wednesday | 15 x 200 @ 30-32, 200 jog recovery | 5 | 18 | |
| Thursday | 15 | 1 hour | 15 | |
| Friday | 13 | 5 | 30 minutes core | 18 |
| Saturday | Tempo Session: 3 mile (72s), 2 mile (71s), 1 mile (70s) on track | 5 | 18 | |
| Sunday | Long Run | 20 | ||
| 125 | ||||
| Week 3 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 13 miles + drills and grass strides | 6 | 19 | |
| Tuesday | 10 x 1 mile starting @ 4:58 and working down to 4:42 | 5 | 1 hour | 20 |
| Wednesday | 12.5 | 6 | 18.5 | |
| Thursday | 12.5 | 6 | 1 hour | 18.5 |
| Friday | 13 miles + drills and grass strides | 5.5 | 18.5 | |
| Saturday | 3 mile tempo @ 71.9s, 10 mile run @ 5:50, 3 mile tempo @70.9s + warm-up & cool down | 22 | ||
| Sunday | 12.5 | 6 | 40 minutes core | 18.5 |
| 135 | ||||
| Week 4 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 13 miles + drills and grass strides | 6 | 19 | |
| Tuesday | 15 | 6 | 1 hour | 21 |
| Wednesday | 8 x mile with 2 minute jog rest, started 4:47 & finished 4:30 | off | 15 | |
| Thursday | 11.5 | 5.5 | 1 hour | 17 |
| Friday | 8 x 200 meter hills following 1 hour run | 5.5 | 17 | |
| Saturday | Planned day off | 30 minutes core | 0 | |
| Sunday | 15 mile tempo @4:59 (6 mile warm-up/cool down) | off | 21 | |
| TOTAL | 110 | |||
| Week 5 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 15 | 6 | 40 minutes core | 21 |
| Tuesday | 12 | 8x200 meter hills | 21 | |
| Wednesday | Tempo, 3.5, 2.5, 1.5 miles (rest: 3 min, 2 min) @ 4:50, 4:45, 4:40 | 7 | 1 hour | 21 |
| Thursday | 12 | 9 | 21 | |
| Friday | 90 minute run followed by 8x200 meter hills | 4.5 | 21 | |
| Saturday | 14 | 7 | 40 minutes core | 21 |
| Sunday | 24 miles, pushing miles 17 to 20 (19:48 for 4 miles) | off | 24 | |
| TOTAL | 150 | |||
| Week 6 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 75 minute run followed by 8 x 200 meter hills | 6 | 40 minutes core | 20 |
| Tuesday | 13 | 6 | 19 | |
| Wednesday | 7 x mile, starting 4:46 and ending 4:24. 3 minutes rest | 5 | 1 hour | 20 |
| Thursday | 16 | off | 16 | |
| Friday | 75 minute run followed by 8 x 200 meter hills | 5 | 18.5 | |
| Saturday | 9.5 | 9 | 30 minutes core | 18.5 |
| Sunday | 4 mile tempo in 19:06, 10 mile run in 58:00, 3 mile tempo in 14:12 | off | 23 | |
| TOTAL | 135 | |||
| Week 7 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 15 | 6 | 40 minutes core | 21 |
| Tuesday | 75 minutes followed by 8 x 200 meter hills | 6 | 21 | |
| Wednesday | 6 | 14 | 1 hour | 20 |
| Thursday | 6 x 1 mile starting @ 4:43 and finishing @ 4:20 on track | 6 | 21 | |
| Friday | 11 | 10 | 21 | |
| Saturday | 15 | 5 | 30 minutes core | 20 |
| Sunday | 27 mile long run, push miles 19-23 @ 19:44 | off | 27 | |
| TOTAL | 151 | |||
| Week 8 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 12.5 | 6 | 40 minutes core | 18.5 |
| Tuesday | 14 | 5 | 19 | |
| Wednesday | 4 mile, 3 mile, 2 mile, 1 mile tempo (19:13, 14:18, 9:25, 4:32) | off | 18 | |
| Thursday | 14 | 6 | 1 hour | 20 |
| Friday | 10 + drills and strides | 9 | 19 | |
| Saturday | 12.5 | 6 | 30 minutes core | 18.5 |
| Sunday | 16 mile tempo (119:22 – 4:57.6) + warm-up/cool down | off | 22 | |
| TOTAL | 135 | |||
| Week 9 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 15 | 6 | 40 minutes core | 21 |
| Tuesday | 12 + drills and grass strides | 9 | 21 | |
| Wednesday | 15 | 6.5 | 40 minutes core | 21.5 |
| Thursday | 4.5 | 4 mile tempo, 30 min run, 4 mile tempo (19:06, 18:58) – 18.5 miles total | 23 | |
| Friday | 13 | 8 | 30 minutes core | 21 |
| Saturday | 15 | 6 | 21 | |
| Sunday | 5.5 | 16 miles + 6 x 200 meter hills | 21.5 | |
| TOTAL | 150 | |||
| Week 10 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 9 miles (cut run short due to hamstring/knee pain) | off | 40 minutes core | 9 |
| Tuesday | off due to hamstring/knee pain | off | 0 | |
| Wednesday | 7 | 10 x 1 km 3:01 to 2:55 w/ 100 meter jog recovery | 40 minutes core | 19 |
| Thursday | 6 | 12 | 17 | |
| Friday | 10 + drills and strides | 5 | 15 | |
| Saturday | 7 | 5 | 12 | |
| Sunday | San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon | off | 21 | |
| TOTAL | 93 | |||
| Week 11 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 10.5 easy | 4.5 | 15 | |
| Tuesday | 15 + drills and strides | 5 | 20 minutes core | 20 |
| Wednesday | 14 | 6 | 40 minutes strength | 20 |
| Thursday | 13 | 30 minutes + 8 x 200 meter hills | 20 | |
| Friday | Fartlek (5 min, 4, 3)(4, 3, 2)(3, 2, 1) – 14 miles | 5 | 40 minutes core | 19 |
| Saturday | 14.5 | 6.5 | 21 | |
| Sunday | 14 + drills and strides | 5.5 | 20 | |
| TOTAL | 135 | |||
| Week 12 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 22 mile long run w/ push from 16-20 @4:56 | off | 22 | |
| Tuesday | 14.5 | off | 20 minutes core | 14.5 |
| Wednesday | 12.5 | 5 | 30 minutes strength/core | 17.5 |
| Thursday | 4 miles (4:49), 3 min rest, 3 x 2 miles (4:46, 44, 41), 2 min rest | off | 16 | |
| Friday | 5.5 | 11.5 | Strength/Drills – 1 hour | 17 |
| Saturday | 12.5 | 4.5 | 17 | |
| Sunday | 3 mile w/u, 3 mile, 2 mile, 1 mile (4:43, 4:38, 4:38) + 60 min run | 5.5 | 19 | |
| TOTAL | 123 | |||
| Week 13 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 12.5 | 4.5 | 45 minutes | 17 |
| Tuesday | 12.5 + drills and strides | 4.5 | 17 | |
| Wednesday | 12.5 | 4.5 | 30 minutes | 17 |
| Thursday | 4 x 2 miles @ 9:32 | off | 14 | |
| Friday | 11.5 | 5.5 | 30 minutes | 17 |
| Saturday | 7 + drills and strides | off | 7 | |
| Sunday | 16 | 16 | ||
| TOTAL | 105 | |||
| Week 13 | AM | PM | Strength/Drills | Mileage |
| Monday | 10 | 4.5 | 30 minutes | 14.5 |
| Tuesday | 5 x 1k @ 2:57 | 4.5 | 16 | |
| Wednesday | Travel to NYC | 9 | 9 | |
| Thursday | 9 | off | 9 | |
| Friday | 7 +drills and strides | off | 30 minutes | 7.5 |
| Saturday | 6 | off | 6 | |
| Sunday | Race | 27 | ||
| TOTAL | 89 |
