326. Marathon 101 Masterclass (Part 1 of 4) — The Aerobic Engine & Training Blueprint

In this episode of Your Story, Your Why, Letty sits down with Stephanie Platt to discuss the evolution of her running journey. Stephanie reflects on getting her start in middle school cross country, maintaining her running routine during her husband’s military deployments, and the wild five-week stretch in fall 2021 where she completed St. George, Boston, and NYC. She also opens up about why running serves as non-negotiable mental self-care for mothers and how she is navigating physical setbacks like plantar fasciitis.

In episode 330 of the Marathon Running Podcast, host Letty breaks down her experience running the 2026 Sydney Marathon—which she rates an 11 out of 10—alongside her husband and co-host, Ryan. Traveling with tour group sponsor Destiny 2 Sport, Letti arrived nine days early to adjust to the time difference and explore local sites like the Blue Mountains with friends. Leading up to race day, she attended media events, press conferences, the expo at Olympic Park, and the official opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House. Despite experiencing stomach cramps and vomiting from accidentally taking a caffeinated gel during the race, Letty persevered alongside a friend, taking in iconic sights like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the lively spectator zones before enjoying a scenic finish at the Opera House and post-race celebrations at Sydney's historic Fortune of War pub.

What happens when you decide that life—and running—actually begins after age 50? In this episode of Your Story, Your Why, we sit down with Paul Latham, a Jamaican immigrant based in Fort Worth, Texas. Growing up in Jamaica active in casual sports, running was never Paul's primary focus. It wasn't until well into his 50s, after a personal trainer pointed out his need for stamina, that Paul laced up his shoes for a three-mile walk on a local track.After running over 200 5Ks and becoming comfortable at the half marathon distance, a coworker challenged Paul to break through his self-imposed limits by entering the Chicago Marathon lottery. Winning a spot launched a transformative distance-running career. Now preparing for his 13th marathon at the Cape Town Marathon, Paul reflects on the value of stepping outside comfort zones, the power of volunteering at major World Marathon Majors, and his goal to stay moving well into his 80s and 90s.Key TakeawaysLife Begins Whenever You Decide: Age is not a barrier to starting distance running; Paul ran his first marathon after turning 50.Break Self-Imposed Ceilings: Often, the only thing holding us back from longer distances or bigger goals is a mental limitation.Volunteer for Perspective: Serving as a course marshal or aid station volunteer builds deep gratitude for race directors and fellow athletes.Value Experiences Over Things: The connections, travel, and personal growth gained through distance running far outweigh material items.Connect with Paul Latham: FacebookTraining Program Mentioned: Cowtown TrailblazersRaces Mentioned: Chicago Marathon, Cape Town Marathon, Boston Marathon, Cowtown MarathonFollow Marathon Journal: Website | InstagramWhat goal have you been holding back on because it felt outside your comfort zone? Drop a comment on our latest post or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to let us know!Resources and LinksShare Your ThoughtsConnect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

In this episode, we dive deep into the critical logistical pillars of marathon success that go beyond simple aerobic fitness. If you want to avoid hitting the wall at mile 20, you need to master your fuel, gear, and recovery. The Carbohydrate Bottleneck: Why the marathon is as much a fuel management test as it is an aerobic one, and how burning through glycogen leads to the dreaded late-race bonk. Proactive Fueling Targets: Moving past outdated advice to embrace modern research supporting 90 to 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour for trained athletes. Dual-Source Carbohydrates: Why combining glucose (maltodextrin) and fructose in a ~1:1 ratio uses complementary intestinal transporters (SGLT1 and GLUT5) to prevent absorption bottlenecks. Sweat Testing & Sodium Mechanics: How to run a simple 60-minute field test to calculate your individual hourly sweat loss, plus the truth about sodium, cramps, and hyponatremia. Gut Training: Why your digestive system struggles under race-intensity blood flow redistribution, and how to progressively train your gut during long runs. The Three-Shoe Rotation: Breaking down the functional roles of your durable daily high-volume trainers, responsive workout shoes, and race-day carbon super shoes. Taper Science & The Taper Tantrum: Understanding why a taper is about eliminating cumulative fatigue rather than building new fitness, why feeling terrible is normal, and why you must stick to the 21-day rule. Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

unning has a way of meeting us exactly where we are—even when we feel completely broken. On this week's episode of Your Story, Your Why, host Letty Lundquist sits down with close friend and World Marathon Majors finisher Patti Shawber.After losing a decade of her life to severe drug addiction through her 30s and early 40s, Patti woke up one day exhausted and ready for change. After achieving sobriety, she stepped onto a Planet Fitness treadmill in her mid-40s, walking at 4.0 mph for 45 minutes to complete her very first 5K distance. What started as a way to reclaim her health evolved into a global running journey that took her across the world to earn her Six Star World Marathon Majors Medal before turning 60.Patti opens up about channeling the intense energy of addiction into endurance sports, navigating fear and imposter syndrome, balancing competitive goals with aging, and why she holds onto the memory of her lowest moments so she never has to go back.

Welcome back to Part 2 of our Marathon 101 Masterclass series! Following the response to our initial guide, we dive deep into how to structure your training weeks, execute quality workouts, and build a body that holds up under marathon fatigue.In this episode, we cover:Myth Busting & The 80/20 Rule: Why running faster all the time won't make you faster on race day, and how volume builds endurance.Polarized Training: Differentiating hard days from easy days to maximize recovery and efficiency.The 4 Phases of Marathon Training: A step-by-step breakdown from early strides and fartleks to threshold work, peak race-pace sessions, and the taper.Microcycle Flexibility: Adjusting weekly workouts based on recovery needs, age, and individual adaptation.Strength Training for Runners: Essential movements to improve running economy, protect tendons, and maintain posture late in the race.Practical Micro-Habits: Adding light strides and dynamic warm-ups to improve range of motion.Life & Travel Updates:Race week coverage from the TCS Sydney Marathon.Updates on our upcoming running documentary Why They Run, screening this November at IRX in Amsterdam.Resources & Links Mentioned:Learn more about the documentary project: Why They RunConnect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

What happens when a single moment of decision on a family vacation transforms into a million-dollar global movement? In this episode of Your Story, Your Why, we sit down with Julie Weiss—author, runner, and widely known as the "Marathon Goddess". Struggling with midlife depression at age 37, Julie went for a barefoot run along the beaches of Kauai, pledging to turn her life around through movement.After joining the LA Roadrunners and overcoming early race-day mistakes, tragedy struck when her father passed away from pancreatic cancer just 35 days after his diagnosis. Channeling her grief into purpose, Julie set out on an audacious mission: running 52 marathons in 52 weeks while working a full-time job. Now at 121 marathons and having officially surpassed her $1 million fundraising goal, Julie shares her "7 C's to Defy Your Limits" and explains why true fulfillment comes from recognizing your inherent worth right now.Which of Julie’s "7 C's" resonated most with you today? Are you working toward a goal that feels bigger than yourself? Drop a comment on our latest post or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to let us know!Listen NowEpisode TimestampsKey TakeawaysResources and LinksShare Your ThoughtsConnect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

We spend hundreds of dollars on carbon-plated racing shoes, track every gram of protein, and hit our weekly mileage without fail. But when it comes to the single most critical factor in physical recovery, most runners leave their performance to chance: sleep.In this episode, we sit down with Laura Brewick, Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager at MOLECULE—a sleep technology company backed by a dedicated team of PhD-level scientists focused entirely on foam formulations and athletic recovery. We dive deep into why simply getting "eight hours" isn't enough for distance runners, how thermal regulation and microclimates impact your deep sleep cycles, and the exact presleep habits you can start tonight to wake up ready to perform.Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

Tatiana Rojas was a former gym teacher and long-time social worker in New York when she decided to tackle her first marathon at nearly 50 years old. What started as a decades-long dream watched on television blossomed into a mission-driven journey across the World Marathon Majors. Growing up watching the New York City Marathon, Tatiana always vowed that one day she would cross that finish line herself. After immigrating to the United States and waiting 20 years—unaware that entry required a lottery draw—a casual conversation with a coworker finally set her journey in motion. She applied, won a spot, and finished her debut marathon in 7 hours, 37 minutes, and 11 seconds. That first race was a complete trial by fire. Naive about training, course logistics, and post-race recovery, she spent a full week recovering in bed and declared she would never run another. The pull of the distance proved too strong to walk away from. Tatiana returned to the marathon with structured coaching and a deeper purpose, dedicating her miles to raising funds for Alzheimer’s and dementia research. From there, she committed to the NYRR 9+1 program, kept her momentum through virtual events during the pandemic, and systematically began checking off world majors. Throughout her journey, raising funds for causes bigger than herself became a central pillar. She has raised over $10,000 across various campaigns supporting children and families with disabilities, Catholic Charities, heart disease research, and animal welfare organizations. Just four years after stepping up her structured training, Tatiana completed the Boston Marathon—running alongside her friend Maria Fernanda—to officially earn her Six Star Finisher Medal. Her major marathon achievements include: New York City Marathon: Her foundational race, run multiple times including her debut and post-pandemic returns. Chicago Marathon: Site of her official marathon personal record of 5:48. Berlin & London Marathons: Completed as part of her international major series push. Tokyo Marathon: Completed while raising funds for animal rescue organizations. Boston Marathon: The final piece to lock in her Six Star Finisher Medal. Paris Marathon: Completed during the Olympic year, running the mass participation night marathon. Now turning 66, Tatiana views every mile as an investment in her health, longevity, and vitality. Rejecting the idea that age should dictate limits, she credits running with keeping her prescription-free and deeply connected to a global running community. Her race-day mental strategy relies on positive self-talk—literally speaking to her legs between miles 18 and 23 to overcome fatigue and finish strong. With upcoming plans to run the Sydney Marathon and target the new World Marathon Majors expansion stars, Tatiana continues to prove that passion and persistence have no expiration date. Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

In this episode, we launch our four-part Marathon Masterclass designed to strip away overcomplicated training noise and get back to core physiological fundamentals. Whether you are tackling your first 26.2, targeting a Boston Qualification, or resetting ahead of a new training block, we lay out the exact blueprint for setting up a successful 16-to-20-week macrocycle. We break down the medical and orthopedic reality of tissue adaptation, explain why muscle strength outpaces tendon durability, and outline the pre-block readiness audit every runner should pass before starting Week 1.We also dive deep into the science of the aerobic engine and why 80% of your training volume must feel effortless. Discover how Zone 2 running drives capillary expansion, mitochondrial biogenesis, and fat oxidation—and why falling into the "Gray Zone" (Zone 3) traps runners in cumulative fatigue. Plus, we share half-marathon prediction formulas to calculate a realistic race goal, explore the 3:1 build-to-recovery microcycle pattern, and discuss when it makes sense to work with a running coach.Show Notes & Links Mentioned:Full Article & Breakdown: Read the accompanying guide on MarathonJournal.comPacing Tools: Check your training zones using the VDOT Running CalculatorGet in Touch: Questions or topic requests for Part 2? Email us at [email protected] with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607