0-26.2 in 27 Days – How I Trained For a Marathon in 1 Month

Do you envision crossing the finish line to your very own 26.2 mile race? Do you dread the 5 to 6 months recommended to prepare for the marathon?
I hear your call to the non-running Gods. Taking long runs on my weekends for close to half a year doesn’t exactly sound enticing in my book. Not to mention the detrimental impact that much running could have on the body.

With the insight and programing of IronMan stud, Boston marathon qualifier and ultramarathoner Jaques Tisne, I executed what is potentially the most ridiculous 27 day marathon training program ever dreamed up. I literally went from a running base of zero to a full marathon in just 27 days. In the last 5 years I may have ran a TOTAL of 10 miles. That’s an average of 2 miles a year. No exaggeration. Running has had absolutely no part in my training program. I consistently tell clients that unless you have goals to run races, there are plenty of other options to train the cardio energy system that have significantly less impact and detriment on the body.

But if you’re looking to run a marathon, obviously you need to actually run. If you would rather run 26.2 miles in the other direction at the mere thought of training for 5-6 months to a marathon, you’re in good company. With a little bit of crazy and a lot of strategy and drive, I give you the 27 Days to Marathon!

Warning: I highly do NOT recommend you attempt this training program. Unless you’re both crazy and even more crazy, then feel free to give it a whirl. Walking the fine line of pushing the limits and body injury was a constant throughout this entire process. Again, I do NOT recommend this in any way. This is simply an insight into what I did to make this marathon a reality.

Background On Me

4 Reasons I should NOT have completed the race:

1. Haven’t ran consistently in 10+ years. Even then, I would typically run 2 miles.
2. I was 1 1/2 months into a “bulk” and was 25lbs overweight when I started the training. Timing wasn’t on my side .
3. I’ve only ran 3 races in my life and I was in 7th grade for the first and 9th for the other 2. 10K being the longest.
4. I train my body to move weight and be aesthetically fit, NOT to run.

4 Reasons why it’s no surprise I finished:

1. I’m a bit crazy.
2. Putting myself through extreme situations has become commonplace in my life. (ie. bodybuilding, hiking 14ers in CO, 16 months in a warzone, walking 300 miles down the east coast, etc)
3. When I put my mind to something, it eventually happens. Not always right away, but eventually it will happen.
4. And lastly, again, I’m a little bit on the crazy side.

The 27 Day Marathon Training Program

jpeg of Original Training Sheet

Listening To My Body

The deviation from the original plan had EVERYTHING to do with listening to my body and taking rest when needed. I took quite many ice baths, rubbed myself down in traumeel and rolled my body out on the foam roller daily. I also spent some quality time with a fellow trainer who specialized in Pilates. All necessary to keep my body limber through prehab and rehab while flirting with achilles breakdown and hip malfunction. In all honesty, my body was a mess the entire month!

The Resistance Training

Contrary to what may be considered appropriate, I didn’t deviate from my weight training at all. 1-2 hour Olympic weightlifting 3 days a week was consistent through week 3 of marathon training. Even with the quad blasting style this style of training imposes, I didn’t want to lose any of the gains I had made in the previous months… So obviously, I just tossed the marathon training in addition to the norm of my weight training . The week of the race I backed off the weights and focused on recovery for race day.

Looking Back

There isn’t much I would have done differently. The key to succeeding in this training was understanding how far I could push my bodies limit and knowing when to pull back on the reigns. Teetering the fine line of pretending to be a badass and becoming a marathoning casualty was an every day reality.

I finished the Marine Corp Marathon in 4:49:46. Not the fastest time by any means, but I finished. I can cross it off the impossible list and move forward with the other wild things I want to do with my life.

What Should You Do?

No matter what you do, get after it. Life is too short to let slip away and all you’ve accomplished was 40 years of working for the man. Make your goals and dreams the number 1 priority. No one else is going to ensure you do the things you want to do other than the person you see in the mirror. At the end of your life you can only hold yourself accountable for the things you did or did not do. So get after it!

*****

Have you had an itch for way too long to do something wild with your fitness? Have entirely too many months and years passed and you’re ready to take action?

Now is the time. Whether it be a marathon, bodybuilding competition, IronMan, Strongman or simply running a 5K. You’re reading the right words at the right time. 28 open memberships remain.

Click the link below and you’ll be walked through the Exclusive Fitness Subculture sign up process. From there I’ll personally give the yay or nay to your profile within 24 hours. From there you’ll have an elite network of fitness buffs helping and guiding you make your fitness goals and aspirations a reality. Are you ready to take action?

Sign Me Up!