Name: Harold Pizzetta
Major milestone: I qualified for the Boston Marathon!
What is the secret to your success? Using Runcoach took away the need for me to stress over how to and how much to train. Runcoach allowed me to focus on enjoying running and racing.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Like many, self-doubt and an injury along the way creates a real risk that i would give up on the marathon distance. My IT band required me to ramp down my running twice while transitioning from half to full. During the second episode, I was sure that I was not going to achieve marathon distance. Following the Runcoach schedule brought me back and fully prepared me for the marathon.
What is the most rewarding part of training? I think back to the transition from half- to full-marathon training. I was absolutely intimidated by the thought of several 20+ mile Saturday runs. But, little by little, Runcoach added miles and I held on for the ride. Reflecting on how far I have come keeps me motivated.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Rest days and easy runs are requirements, just as much as hard workouts and long runs. The easy runs helped my up my miles per week without serious injury or over-training.
Anything else you would like to share? As much as I hate to admit it, I think the speed work suggested by the training plan made a great deal of difference. Those workouts are the most difficult for me, but worth the effort in the end. I have emailed Runcoach for support and suggestions on a few occasions. Each time, the support was terrific. In particular, I got some good advice on adjusting my schedule to deal with an injury.