Long run life

Miles and miles of ramblings

  • Running
  • Race reports
  • Running technology
  • Life
  • Cycling
Home » Boston

2025 Eugene Marathon — self worth and the time on the clock

May 12, 2025 by Brent

2025 Eugene Marathon

I crossed the 2025 Eugene Marathon finish line a little more than two weeks ago. I always start races with tiered goals. First, finish without injury. Then some time goals based on how I feel about my training block leading into the race. For the 2025 Eugene marathon, those were to qualify for Boston (sub […]

Filed Under: Race reports Tagged With: Boston, Boston Marathon, BQ, Eugene Marathon, fitness, goals, marathon, marathon training, mental health, motivation, Oregon, race, run, runner, running, Self worth, training

Cascade Express marathon — wrapping up a painful and transformative Boston Beard 2024

September 16, 2024 by Brent

Cascade Express

This is one of the toughest race reports I’ve written. I ran the Cascade Express marathon on September 7, a race capping 12 solid weeks of training. The temperature at the starting line was far too warm. I struggle in races and general training in hot weather, so I struggled for most of the 26.2 […]

Filed Under: 2024 Boston Beard Tagged With: Boston, Boston 2025, Boston Marathon, Boston qualifier, BQ, Cascade Express, Cascade Express Marathon, fitness, goals, God, life, marathon, marathon training, motivation, race, run, runner, running, training

Boston Beard 2024 week 9 — finding running inspiration where I can

August 19, 2024 by Brent

running inspiration

Summer is my least favorite season for marathon training. Or running in general. The heat and humidity zaps all energy and forces paces to slow to the point where I question every goal I have set. So I’m only grinding out the summer miles for one reason: one last shot at hitting a 2025 Boston […]

Filed Under: 2024 Boston Beard Tagged With: Boston, Boston 2025, Boston Marathon, Boston qualifier, BQ, fitness, goals, marathon, marathon training, motivation, Olympics, Paris Olympics, race, run, runner, running, running inspiration, training

Boston Beard 2024 week 8 — when challenges come, how will I choose to show up?

August 12, 2024 by Brent

Marathon training is never perfect. It is never linear progress, and there are always difficult moments and bad weeks. For me, week eight of my buildup to September’s Boston qualifier attempt could have defeated me. The downward spiral started when I woke up Monday night coughing. So I didn’t make my track workout Tuesday morning. […]

Filed Under: 2024 Boston Beard Tagged With: Boston, Boston 2025, Boston Marathon, BQ, fitness, goals, life, marathon, marathon training, motivation, race, run, runner, running, training

2024 Boston Marathon — survive and choose happiness

April 29, 2024 by Brent

2024 Boston Marathon

Standing waiting to start the 2024 Boston Marathon, I felt a drop of sweat slide down my left arm. I should have known in that moment that it was going to be a rough day. I had moved back to corral seven to run with a group I knew only from Strava interactions. But they […]

Filed Under: Race reports Tagged With: 2024 Boston Marathon, Boston, Boston Marathon, fitness, goals, marathon, marathon training, motivation, race, race report, run, running

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

About me

Brent Shirley My name is Brent Shirley, and I'm a stay-at-home dad with experience writing and selling running shoes. Married to a surgeon (she's much smarter than me). Certified RRCA running coach and 11 time Boston Marathon qualifier (2015-25, although I missed the cut in 2015-16). 50 sub 4 finisher.

Subscribe

Strava

Follow me on Strava
Instagram Feed
Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.
Follow

Twitter feed

Something went wrong with the twitter. Please check your credentials and twitter username in the twitter settings.

Older posts

Recent Comments

  • Robert Wong on 2025 Eugene Marathon — self worth and the time on the clock
  • Todd Parker on Thoughts on finishing 50 sub 4 goal at Rehoboth Beach Marathon in Delaware
  • Brent on Thoughts on finishing 50 sub 4 goal at Rehoboth Beach Marathon in Delaware
  • Shelley Ryan Gray on Thoughts on finishing 50 sub 4 goal at Rehoboth Beach Marathon in Delaware

Popular tags

5K 2020 Boston Boston 2025 Boston Marathon Boston qualifier BQ california fitness goals heat heat running humidity Las Vegas life long run marathon marathon training motivation negativity Nevada Ohio patience PR race race plan race report race weekend run runner running San Diego Shreveport speed work summer summer running tempo track track work track workout training training plan west west coast workouts

Calendar

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Oct    

Copyright © 2025 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...