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Phoenix Marathon recap: breakthroughs aren’t easy

February 27, 2017 by Brent

Phoenix Marathon

When a cannon fired to start the 2017 Phoenix Marathon, I was already sprinting. Because of a long wait in the port-o-let line, I didn’t make it to the front of the corral where I wanted to be. Instead, I crossed the starting line with the 4-hour pace group. I continued running hard, out wide […]

Filed Under: Race reports Tagged With: Boston 2018, Boston Marathon, breakthrough, fitness, health, marathon, motivation, Phoenix Marathon, race, race weekend, run, runner, running, training

2017: average isn’t good enough any more

January 9, 2017 by Brent

2017

P.J. Fleck’s words boomed through my car radio. As 2017 starts, I can’t shake them. Fleck, then the football coach at Western Michigan, was giving an interview on the Jim Rome show on December 19. (If you want to listen, you can here: Fleck interview). His team was preparing to play Wisconsin in the Cotton […]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: 2016, 2017, fitness, marathon, motivation, new year, PJ Fleck, resolution, run, runner, running, training, west coast, Western Michigan

Looking back at 2016, a year of extremes

January 5, 2017 by Brent

2016

2016 didn’t kill me. Although at times I felt it was trying. Maybe I survived because I’m not a celebrity. Or a Cuban dictator. Or Mariah Carey’s manager. The new year is off to such a hectic start that I haven’t had much time to look back at 2016. But it deserves some retrospective attention. […]

Filed Under: Running Tagged With: 2016, Boston Marathon, fitness, life change, marathon, marathon running, motivation, PR, race, run, runner, running, training, west coast

Wrapping up 2016 with a PR in the San Diego Holiday Half Marathon

December 19, 2016 by Brent

San Diego Holiday Half Marathon

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or so the radio stations in every store I enter tell me. So why not finish 2016 with one more PR? Sunday brought just that, as I set a new PR at the San Diego Holiday Half Marathon. It wasn’t expected, which is the best kind of personal […]

Filed Under: Race reports Tagged With: fitness, goals, Holiday Half Marathon, long run, marathon, marathon training, motivation, patience, race, race plan, race report, run, runner, running, San Diego, San Diego Holiday Half Marathon, Shreveport, training, training plan, workouts

Taper madness is real, and it’s terrifying

December 17, 2016 by Brent

taper madness

Typically, I don’t taper. I hate the mental craziness that comes along, the taper madness. I have read many blog posts from athletes tapering. Those stories normally curse the weeks directly preceding a big race. Taper madness, triggered by inactivity following weeks of intense training, includes wild food cravings, outbursts of misdirected frustration, and sometimes the […]

Filed Under: Running Tagged With: Boston Marathon, BQ, fitness, goals, long run, marathon, marathon training, motivation, patience, plan, race, race plan, run, runner, running, San Diego, taper, taper madness, track, track work, training, training plan, workouts

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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.

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