On October 9th, 2016 I ran the Steamtown Marathon in 3 hours 36 minutes 28 seconds, which is a Boston Marathon qualifying time for my age group. I ran my first marathon in 2010 in 5 hours and 48 minutes (Marine Corps Marathon). I am 4’11” tall (or short, however you look at it!) and not athletic by any means. My total steps for my last two marathons was 44,800 each. I compared that to the average person who runs around 33,000 steps during a marathon. These facts are thanks to Fitbit! So I work just a little harder to get to the finish line. After my first marathon, my subsequent marathon finish times improved race by race for a couple years till I plateaued at 3 hours 59 minutes. That (3:59) was my marathon finish time for 3 marathons in a row. I couldn't seem to break that time. Several marathons after my PR of 3:59 I actually got slower. It seemed like no matter what I did I couldn't get faster. Eventually I was able to tweak a few things in my training, which led to a Boston Qualifier.

For details on what is required to run the Boston Marathon, click here. And in a previous post I wrote, here are the chances one has of running the Boston Marathon: Running the Numbers. 

I’ve been asked by friends and social media followers what I did to get faster. People have asked me what I did specifically to improve my marathon time which ultimately led to a Boston Marathon qualifying time. How does someone with my size, non-athletic background, past history of not being a natural “fast runner” go from running an almost 6 hour marathon, to 3:36? Believe me, it didn't happen overnight & my BQ (Boston Qualifying) time is by no means the fastest. At first I didn’t think that anyone would benefit (or care) from what I did. I hesitated to write about it. But recently I had a change of heart. If there is someone else out there, like myself, who’s tried and failed so many times and has lost hope that running the Boston Marathon is possible, then this is for her. I would want to reassure my younger self that it was all going to be okay if I just didn't give up. Here are 10 things I did that helped me qualify for the Boston Marathon.

1. “There is no secret. Keep going.”

My favorite women’s athletic line, Oiselle, has this saying. I have a mug with this on it. I know this seems ironic, but the truth is there is no secret. There is no one formula that you should follow that will lead to the result you’re looking for. Everyone is different. Our body types, genetics, past medical history, current life situations (family, dependents), occupation (ER nurse? traveling salesman?), and environments are all different! No one person is alike. So to think there is one formula that you should follow to become a faster runner is silly. What works for me, might not work for you. This post is about what I did and hopefully you will benefit from something I say. My advice: just keep going. Don’t give up. It may take months or years. But keep going. That's my most important piece of advice. I also feel that if your goal is something else & not a BQ, like running a half marathon or your first 50k, you can benefit from this advice. 

2. Believe

Yes, I know. This seems sappy. But trust me; believing in yourself plays a BIG role in your success as a runner. Your mind is powerful. When I started really believing that I could qualify for Boston, I really started seeing an improvement in my performance. I stopped believing the lie that I wasn’t a fast runner or I would never get better. Make a decision in your next race that you will PR and that you can do it. Practice believing in yourself. I like little reminders that tell me to believe. I even got a key chain by one of my favorite companies The Giving Keys that said "Believe" on it. Read about The Giving Keys here. After I achieved my goal I gave it to a friend who shares a similar goal. That's the purpose of the key. At the time, that key was a constant reminder to me.

I also pray. It helps me for sure. I say a prayer before my race. Here is a one that I found once at a race expo, called The Runner's Prayer. I love the message. Link here. 

3. NUTRITION

Nutrition plays a HUGE role in your marathon success. I didn’t realize this for the longest time. I figured if I took a few gels or ate a few gummy bears during a marathon I would be fine. I also knew I needed to hydrate. I never went without fuel; I just wasn’t fueling at the RIGHT time. I would occasionally hit the wall, but I felt like that was inevitable. All runners hit the wall right? Well not really, not if you fuel properly. I’ve run around 20 marathons and three 50 milers. Ultramarathons are easy. You just eat a little when you hit an aid station. I’ve never struggled with fueling during an ultramarathon. But road marathons are different. When and how often you fuel is crucial. I didn’t realize that I had been doing it all wrong until I spoke with a nutritionist. She asked me what I ate 2 weeks before a race, 3 days before, the morning of, and 15 minutes before my marathons. Turns out I had been fueling all wrong. My timing was off. I wasn’t eating anything bad; I just didn’t time it right. She explained that in order for you to benefit from the carbs you're ingesting, you have to time it right. That gel you took at mile 23 during a marathon will help you on your car ride home…not at mile 24! So my tip: if you’re struggling to get faster, or you keep having the same results in a marathon, consider meeting with a nutritionist and ask what you can improve upon. You never know what difference it could make. If you’ve tried the same thing over and over again without improvement, then you might want to see if adjusting your fueling regimen or brand will help. 

I use products by Hammer Nutrition for my marathons & ultramarathons. I use their post-workout product Recoverite, to aid with recovery. On a daily basis I take Tissue Rejuvenator because I like turmeric for inflammation, plus it also has glucosamine sulfate for joint health. I use Hammer Gels during a marathon (Nocciola and PB Chocolate are my favorite). I take one about 15 minutes before I start & a few during the race. I would consult with a nutritionist or do some research on when you should take more. Everyone is different. Your weight determines when you will need carbs again. So my specific formula might not work for you. I also sip on Hammer’s Heed  or Fizz (a sports drink). I pre-mix it with water before I start. I carry a hand-held bottle with it. I also like Anti-Fatigue Caps. They contain beet juice powder, potassium and magnesium. This product helps prevent muscle cramping and counteracts fatigue. I also have a sensitive stomach and this brand works best for me. I have tried other brands, and Hammer finally did the trick. I never hit the wall when I qualified for Boston. I have some friends who don’t need to fuel at all during a race! I'm not so lucky. If you want to try Hammer Nutrition, check out their website. For a discount code off your order, see below. 

4. Dress the part

Part of believing you can do it, is dressing the part. What do I mean by that? I heard a story of a college football player who wanted to be drafted by the NFL. So he decided to "dress the part".  Before games at his technical college, he would dress up in a suit and tie and walk to the locker room. This is something that professional NFL players do. Classmates looked at him strange since his campus was small, and he didn't have far to go. But he wanted to "dress the part" to show his confidence and aspirations. He eventually was drafted by the NFL and played for the Washington Redskins. 

I took this practical step when I ran the Steamtown Marathon. My goal was a BQ. I really wanted to show that I believed in myself. While I don’t think I could wear a Boston Marathon shirt, I wanted to do something else. I wanted to sport the Boston Marathon colors of blue and yellow. So I got a manicure and pedicure with Boston Marathon blue. My family also did the same. My nieces and sister all painted their toes blue & yellow because they believed in me. I kept remembering their tiny little toes and that gesture. It got me through some tough times during the race. Little things like this helped me. 

*My favorite race day must-haves: A meaningful object/good luck charm (like the Giving Key I wore. I also have one me a small race patch that my father earned when he was a runner in the 80's). I also swear by CEP compression socks or sleeves. I get calf cramps and these work well for me. I use a SPI belt to carry my fuel or electrolytes. These are my staples. 

5. Yoga

I don’t like any other exercises other than running. For years I just ran. I never cross trained. I know that's not good.  First of all, I couldn’t find anything else that I liked. When I continued to struggle with getting faster I asked my coach/friend, what to do. She said try yoga. I pre-purchased a yoga package to force me to go. If I already paid for it, I knew I would go. If I just paid for one class at a time then I might not go. But by purchasing a package, I had to go so I didn't waste money. Yoga helped me by building up muscles that I didn’t work out in running. I became stronger and less injury prone. It also did wonders for my breathing. I was able to control my breathing during my marathons which served to keep me calm and well oxygenated. If you don’t cross train, consider adding in some yoga into your routine. If anything it will help you stretch and most runners can benefit from that!

6. Find a plan that works for you or a hire coach

Some runners swear by one plan and others swear by something else. You have to find one that works for your schedule, your limitations and your body. If one plan hasn’t worked for you, try another. The internet contains a wealth of knowledge. You can find pretty much every type of marathon training plan out there from Run Less, Run Faster to the Hanson's Marathon Method. I tried several plans and finally got someone to give me a plan that worked better for my schedule. But your coach or the person making your plan needs to know you and your previous failures and successes. If a plan hasn’t worked for 3 marathons, maybe you need to try something else. You also need to follow a plan that is practical for you. If you work 12 hour shifts and are following a plan that has you run 7 days a week, and you struggle to get your runs in, maybe consider something else that fits your schedule better. Personal coaches (online will work too!) will work with your schedule. Elite marathoners like Nick Arciniaga are also taking on new roles as online coaches. Check out Nick's website here. 

7. Use a logbook or running journal

I recommend journaling or keeping a logbook. I LOVE the Believe Journal. This journal provides a logbook and also daily messages of inspiration and practical tips. There were some sections where you work through certain things like self-doubt. It really helped me. I am using the Compete journal now, which is the sequel to the Believe journal. It is encouraging to look back at your accomplishments. 

8. Surround yourself with positive people who have similar goals

Do you find the people you run with are always negative or super competitive? Do they bring you down or encourage you? Do they want you to succeed? Do they share your same goals? Do you find that you take your long runs seriously, but they always try to get you to run less? If you find that the people you run with are a negative influence or bring negative energy, then maybe consider running with someone else. Consider running with a faster group as well. Running with faster or more experienced runners will help you. It is intimidating at first, but you most likely will get a little faster.  I also have felt like some groups are super competitive. I don't have time to be competitive. I found a good group of running friends who want me to succeed. They have similar goals and also are very positive. If you feel like you’re surrounded by negative running buddies, and you’re constantly thinking you’re not good enough or fast enough, maybe find a new group to run with.

I also have found that having someone pace me during a marathon helps. Whether it’s a faster friend or a pace group, having someone else do the work for you is worth it. You won’t have to think about your splits or looking at your watch. You can just focus on running. 

TIP: This is an awesome product that will make a personalized pace band for you. If you want to know what splits you have to hit while running (for a specific finish time), this company will take the course elevation into consideration and personalize a band for you! You can adjust how you want it to work out. Do you want negative or even splits? They will customize everything for you, including your wrist size and color preference! Ideally you will follow a pacer and not worry about your splits, but if you don't have this option check this product out! Also this website will compare your previous marathon times and predict your finish time on your desired marathon. (Pace band shown above)

9. Pick a race course that works for you

Timing is everything. Don’t pick a spring marathon if you don’t like training in cold weather. Same with the summer, if you hate running when it's hot, don’t do a summer marathon. If you live where it snows all winter, and you're not sure if your training will go ideally for a spring marathon, than don't pick a spring marathon. Figure out what time of year works best for you to race. Set yourself up to succeed. I love running in the heat. Therefore an early fall marathon worked better for me. I could train in the summer just fine, and the fall wasn't too cold for my marathon. 

Also make sure you pick a course that fits your style/preference. I ran the Steamtown Marathon in October. This is mainly a downhill marathon. I’ve heard lots of people say they hate downhill running because it destroys your legs. I did fine with it. Here are the top Boston Marathon qualifying courses according to the B.A.A. Active.com has this list. The Berlin, Tokyo and Chicago Marathons are also very flat. Some people like flat courses. Pick the type of course you've had success with in the past.

Keep in mind that the bigger the race, the more crowds you’ll have to fight past. I personally could not qualify for Boston running the Chicago Marathon. A crowded course can be challenging to zig-zag around as you pass other runners. I have a good friend who did really well in Chicago. Some people shine in the big city marathons. Personally I needed a smaller race like the Steamtown Marathon. There was enough crowd support to be distracted, but I didn't have to run around groups of people. So consider the size of the participants when choosing a race. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the big city races like Tokyo or London, however, they didn't work well for me to run a BQ time.

Read race reviews. Here is a good place find race reviews: Marathon Guide. Talk to friends who’ve run a race you’re interested in, ask for opinions in Facebook running groups. You might want to ask a coach or someone who has trained you what he or she thinks. I had the option of running the Chicago Marathon (since I got in via the lottery) last year. I decided to defer and do Steamtown instead (which was on the exact same day) because I knew that my chances of BQing would be higher at Steamtown compared to Chicago. Thankfully I made the right decision. 

10. Don’t wear a watch or don’t look at it

This tip is similar to what I mentioned earlier about following a pace group. Just run. Try not to focus too much, if at all, on your splits! You will waste energy and time. I dropped 15 minutes off my previous time in April 2016 during the Poconos Marathon. I stuck with a pace group and never looked at my watch. I turned off the beeps so I didn’t hear anything. I did the same for Steamtown and qualified for Boston. Your watch can help, but it can also hurt you. Try not wearing a watch for your next race (try just a 5k to start) and see how you do. I think you’ll surprise yourself. 

Conclusion

Well there you have it. If I leave you with any piece of advice, or my best tip, it’s this: There is no secret. Keep going. If you want something bad enough, fight for it. Believe in yourself. Employ help from other people, like a coach, pacer or faster friends. Surround yourself with positive people.

If you're running Boston this year, check out my World Marathon Majors highlights from the Boston Marathon here. 

I hope this helps you. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have more suggestions, questions or comments. Feel free to tell me what worked for you! I always like hearing what others have to say about how they qualified. 

Keep going, 

-Jill M. 

Follow me on social media for more on my training, tips, the World Marathon Majors and more!

**Disclaimer: I am a brand-ambassador for Hammer Nutrition. I used their products before becoming an ambassador. For 15% off your first order, use REFERRAL CODE: 258418, email address globalrunnergirljill@gmail.com. 

**I am also an ambassador for the Abbott World Marathon Majors. My opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect their opinions or recommendations. 

** I recently became a brand ambassador for CEP compression. I used their products before becoming an ambassador. 

I have no affiliation with any of the other mentioned companies.