5 Ways I Improved my Marathon Time by 55 Minutes
Get ready for some amazing running tips from our guest blogger and friend, Bill Nugent. Bill is not only a star physical therapy patient, but has been a runner for over 11 years. Find him on Instagram @wfnugent to follow along as he prepares for his first New York City Marathon!
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On October 3, 2021 at the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY, I lowered my personal best from 4:48:33 (NYC, 2016) to 3:52:54, a change of more than 55 minutes. I felt strong. My pace was consistent. When done, I was sore for sure, but healthy and ready to go to the starting line at the New York City Marathon in five weeks for a 26.2 mile “fun run.”
I am 53 years old and have been running for more than 11 years. In that time, I have run four marathons, all in the five hour range, and some preceded and all followed by trips to see an orthopedist and physical therapist. What have I done differently this year that led to this improvement both in time and physical health?
1. I Adjusted My Thinking
I am a big fan of James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. He has written that setting goals should not be about defining an outcome, but rather defining an identity. What does that mean? Rather than stating an outcome like “I will lose ten pounds” and then focusing (and being miserable) on cutting calories, it is better and more effective to define an identity “I am a fit person,” and then the decisions you make will bring you to your goal. It’s dinner and there is fast food or a well-cooked meal – asking “What would a fit person eat?” means you will choose the latter and means you will become healthier and lose weight.
I wrote my identity on the white board in my office:
“I am a Runner. Runners Run. Runners Train. Runners Rest.” (I later added “Runners Fuel” but more on that later.) When it was not the best weather to go out for a run, I would tell myself, “I am a runner and runners run.” Framing my actions in this way made it much easier to make all the activities that would get me over the finish line a priority amongst the demands of daily life.
2. I Ran (and used a coach)
I have worked with a coach for several years, Coach Michele Becker, of the De Novo Harriers. She has crafted and helped keep me on a training plan focused on whatever race goal I was aiming for. Over the years, she has adjusted my training to accommodate my crazy business travel schedule and to compensate for my often flagging motivation. She also listened to me as I described the inevitable aches and pains that come with training for a long race and adjusted for this as well.
Coach Michele knew I wanted to hit a Marathon PR this Fall. We worked on an 18 week plan of easy runs, speed workouts, and long runs targeting a marathon pace that would help me break four hours. I can’t say I did every assignment or made every run count, but I would estimate I ran about 95% of the assigned miles. I am a Runner and Runners run… consistently and to the training plan.
3. I Trained
Every month, Runner’s World magazine comes in the mail and there is always an article on “Ten Exercises to go Faster” or “Five Moves to Avoid Injury.” Skipped right over them. Never did the exercises, always ended up hurt.
Training came in two forms. I continued my work with Dr. Marnie Wortman and the team at Iron Physical Therapy in Midland Park, and in January, I started working remotely with a strength coach Dan Dodd.
The team at Iron PT helped me get ready to work with Coach Dodd, ensuring that all the small muscles were strong and balanced, that the range of motion was robust and my form was correct. I have done many clamshell, Superman, and squat variations. As we got closer to the race, we transitioned to stretching and injury prevention. Dr. Wortman would listen to where I felt tight or where I had a twinge, and then make adjustments or give me a few exercises to add to the regimen. I spent enough time in recovery boots that I bought my own pair.
With Coach Dodd, we went through a 2x or 3x a week program shaped around my running schedule that first focused on strengthening the big running muscles – glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, core – and those you don’t think about when running but should – arms, shoulders, chest and back. If you are swinging your arms for four hours, your shoulders will get tight unless you have beefed them up. Later in the program, we focused on more asymmetric strength – single leg movements like Romanian deadlifts. Runners are only ever standing one leg at a time.
4. I Rested
Rest days were rest days this year. I was doing a lot and my body needed a chance to recover and regroup. I tried running and strength six days a week but it was just too much. I focused on keeping my workouts to five days a week and using Monday and Friday to recover.
Rest is not just taking a day off – it is getting good solid consistent sleep. I set my phone to buzz at 8:45PM and, pretty religiously, I am upstairs at 9, I read a book, and lights out by 9:30. I get up early, but keeping a consistent routine means I get a good eight hours of sleep.
4. I Fueled
As my miles piled up, I naturally found myself consuming more calories – you burn more, you eat more. I also found myself making junk food runs to the kitchen throughout the day and crashing in the afternoon. I realized that I was simply not fueling properly.
I signed up for an online running-centric nutrition class and finally understood the balance between carbs and protein and the amount of hydration that was needed to support my exercise program. Having always fought with an extra five pounds and having always counted calories, I stopped tracking calories and stopped getting on the scale. I focused instead on nutritional content and eating good food when my body told me to do so.
What’s Next?
In a few weeks, strong and recovered, I will toe the line in Staten Island and run through the five boroughs with my teammates from the De Novo Harriers. After that, a bit of rest, then building a program for the spring and Fall. In September 2022, I will run the Berlin Marathon. To make sure I’m ready, from now until then, I’ll run, train, rest and fuel.