Running Goal Of 2021: The Marathon Project

Posted On 25/03/2021

I’ve got a goal

I haven’t run a marathon since 2014.

It was my slowest.

My first marathon was in 1997. My fastest was in 2009, where I ran the Melbourne Marathon in 2:58:29.

I’ve been running since. Both shorter and longer distances. But
I’ve lost that speed. The speed from over 10 years ago.

Get The Speed Back

Recent years have been interrupted by injury, illness, lockdown, surgery and more injury. I’ve gotten old and the body doesn’t respond like it used to.

This year. 2021! I plan on running my fastest marathon ever.

Faster than 2:58:29. How am i going to turn back the clock and run faster than I did over 10 years ago. When i was at my fastest and fittest.

Magic Ingredients Of Running

I need the three magic ingredients of running:

1. Consistency
2. Patience
3. Progression

This goal is the marathon project 2021.

Over the last few years my biggest problem has been a lack of patience. As a result I’ve been unable to maintain consistency. Which has limited any progression.

If anything I’ve gone backwards.

How are we going to fix this?

There’s one key element to the Marathon Project of 2021. Every training variable every element relates back to this key element this key element.

It is…

TIME

I’m giving myself extra time. More time than i think I need. More time than i usually give myself.

How long?

First I’m picking my race. That is the Melbourne Marathon. All the way in October. Giving me 29 weeks of training.

29 weeks is a very long time to train. But it provides a buffer to ensure my body doesn’t break down. To ensure progress at the right rate to absorb the training. Best chance to adapt and give myself the best chance of running the fastest marathon I ever have.

Would you train 29 weeks just for one event?

There’s more details to come. I’m going to break down:

• the plan
• the philosophies
• the why
• the changes

Hopefully you can learn something from this. Take it home and apply some aspects to your own training.

I’m Jason Montfort. This is Running Alive and we’re starting the Marathon Project 2021

Keep on running