What is the 2:49 Marathon Project?

The 2:49 Marathon Project will be a chronicle of my 16 week training program targeting a 2:49 finish on December 1st in Valencia, Spain. I will share every detail about my training. I will turn 56 years old on the 31st of October, which will, of course, be my age on race day. A 2:49 finish, for me, is an ambitious, but I feel achievable, objective.

For context, I am a UK Athletics Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) and have been coaching runners for the past 10 years. I have coached at club level and more recently taken to coaching independently. Although I coach all ages, over the past two years, many of my athletes have tended to be masters marathon runners, (masters being over the age of 35). I have much insight from my coaching experience and also from my own personal marathon running. 

In 2022, I ran a 2:58 in Co. Kildare, Ireland. That was followed in 2023 with a 2:56 in London and most recently 2:54 in Manchester, England in April 2024. I felt I had a better time in me from my Manchester training. Therefore, I have made some necessary adjustments to help for this 2:49 Marathon Project.

What Will the 2:49 Marathon Project Look Like?

The 2:49 Marathon Project will consist of daily and weekly posts across my social media platforms. I will share what my daily session and routines will look like. It will also include weekly blog updates that will have:

• Upcoming weekly training sessions
• Results from the previous week’s training 
• Weekly weigh-ins
• Average daily kCals broken down by Protein, Carbs and Fats
• Average daily water consumption
• Average nightly sleep numbers
• Average daily resting HR (over the week)

In addition, I will freely answer any questions from anyone who has any questions to ask. I am doing this for a number of reasons. First of all, I am sharing my experience for anyone who has tried to break the 3 hour barrier or is curious how I train and have succeeded. Secondly, I do things that other runners and coaches may find interesting and useful. One last reason is that some of you may want to train along with me and share your experiences. I am hopeful this will be a constructive exercise and together we can hit new marathon bests.

What Other Topics Will Be Discussed?

Part of my training regime includes strength & conditioning routines, yoga, and a big emphasis on mental preparation. I also include so many little details into my daily routine that I have found extremely helpful in my running life. This will all be out there and if you find any benefit to it, even better. 

I keep a detailed training log in the format of a Google Sheet. It is something I use when coaching my athletes. It captures all the data discussed above and offers an opportunity to make detailed notes about the training. If you don’t currently use a training log, I highly suggest that you start. If anyone is interested in the log I use, blank copies are available for sale at The Achieve Running Club website.

Where Can You Follow the 2:49 Marathon Project?

Daily updates will be shared on my Instagram account and Tiktok account. Weekly updates will be in longer form on YouTube, my Facebook page,  and here on the A Heart for Running blog. Also, for anyone who wishes to get email updates, please just subscribe to the mailing list at the bottom of this page and the weekly updates will be delivered to your inbox..

A General Note Regarding This Project

This is completely free and I am putting myself and my training out there for the world to see. I only ask in return that everything is kept civil and friendly. I will admit that some of my training may look unique, and I follow a very strict methodology. However, everything I do has a purpose.  I’m happy to take questions and criticism as long as it is done in a constructive manner.

There is no substitute for actual 1-to-1 coaching where you and your coach work together with the one objective in mind. This training program has been put together with me, my lifestyle, my experience, my work and family commitments in mind. It also takes into account the training that I enjoy doing most. It won’t be for everyone. You may, and most likely will, find that if you had a similar goal in mind you can tweak my sessions to suit you. Additionally, you will, more than likely, be introduced to something you may not have thought of that you can adapt to or include in your training.

I ran the 2023 Valencia Marathon with no proper training. I vowed to go back in top form. The course is superb and the event is well organised. I owe it to myself and the race to give it a good rattle.

When Will the 2:49 Marathon Project Begin?

The 2:49 Marathon Project will begin with a pre-program kick-off post on Friday August 9, 2024. There will, however, be some content started, from July 19th onward, that will relate to the project. I hope we get some excellent and positive engagement over the course of the next 5 months. Good luck to everyone training for a winter marathon. I look forward to getting to know you.

#sub3hourmarathon #runningmotivation #runningcoach #2024valenciamarathon #the249marathonproject