I wanted a 2:45 marathon plan.
I found Brad Hudson through Instagram and sent him the useful version of my running history. I had been around 65 to 75 miles per week before the New York City Half, where I ran 1:18:23. Then I took about six weeks off from running, rode ten hours a week instead, and built the mileage back up.
Fast track work was still the easiest way to make the same foot and lower-leg problems angry. Volume was less of an issue until I got much above 75 miles per week. I told him that too.
Then came the numbers: 2:56 at Chicago, 2:56 at New York, 54:53 for 15K, 17:30 for 5K. I also sent him a workout where I alternated six miles around 6:05 pace with six miles floating around 6:25.
“This was work but not a killer.”
The race list was Berlin and CIM. New York would be a hobby jog. If I was not ready for 2:45 in Berlin, I would move the real attempt to one of the later races.
Brad said he would have the plan the next day.
I printed it, taped the pages together, marked the important parts in yellow, and wrote notes all over it. The photograph looks like the desk version of a road map. Each week has mileage, workouts, easy days, and a number at the left counting down to Berlin.
Then the personal plan went straight into a work conversation.
One of the Aaptiv coaches wanted to study it and talk about what it meant for our programming. I had questions too. Aaptiv training plans were collections of classes by then. That made it possible to test different interval sessions, swap in fresh workouts, or add cross-training and strength without piling too much into one day.
I wanted to use the Hudson plan for my own race. I also wanted to pull it apart and see what could make our half-marathon, marathon, 5K, and 10K plans better.
A coach on the thread was working with a sub-2:30 runner. I thought that was smoking fast. My own ceiling felt easier to describe.
“I’m hoping to do a 2:45 this year and I believe that’s probably the best I’m gonna manage.”
Maybe 2:40 one day. Never 2:30.