I would like to thank everybody that was able to make the conference call this afternoon, it was a lot of fun and it lasted for about 65 minutes. There were about a dozen people on the call in total. At one point there were 6 or 7 people dialed in through the telephones, and another half dozen or so listening through the website.

In total, I answered 9 specific questions that had been submitted as well as a couple of general questions that had been asked and whose answers fit into some of the other topics I was speaking about. I also got to speak with a few of the listeners and go a little more in depth into the questions that they had. I had fun and I am looking forward to doing this again.

As promised, here are the links to various websites referenced on the call:

• Marathoning.org Pre-Race Checklist Generator: A new tool that I have developed that allows you to create a customized checklist for what items you want at the starting line, the finish line, and in your general luggage.
• 9 Questions for Joan Benoit Samuelson: Marathoning advice from the first woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal. On the call, we discussed her strategy for keeping motivated near the end of a marathon.
• Nova Marathon Challenge: A PBS documentary about a group of sedentary people who trained for and ran the Boston Marathon in just 9 months.
• The McMillan Running Calculator: A surprisingly accurate way to assess how well you could run a race of one distance based upon the time you ran at a different distance. Bear in mind that this calculator assumes you train for the other race first, it merely lets you know what you are probably capable of. (my review)
• The Hanson Brooks Distance Project: One of the places that I mentioned where you can download a training schedule. The Hanson brothers have plans that do not involve running over 16 miles until race day.
• Jeff Galloway: Another place to get training schedules. Jeff Galloway popularized the “run-walk” method, which is a way of sneaking in interval training without the runner really being aware of it.
• Runner’s World Smart Coach: I didn’t specifically mention the smart coach, but I did mention Runner’s World as a source of a training schedule. Plug in a recent time for a shorter race and the type of training you are doing and the smart coach will make assumptions about what kind of training you should run before your next marathon and provide a schedule for you.
• The Replay Line: This is the actual replay line where you can listen to the call or download an unedited version of the phone call.
• Run to Win: This website. I mentioned it, and I hope that you’ve already found it, because otherwise this would be difficult to read.
• Run to Win Running Tips Newsletter: My email newsletter. If you sign up for it, you will not only receive running tips in your inbox, but you will also have instant access to download my “3 Components of an Effective Workout” special report.
• My Thought Spot: David’s website. He submitted a question.
• Team Cross Runs: Nick’s website. He submitted a question.
• Replacing your Insoles: I did not actually discuss this on the call and it is not in the replay, but a listener submitted a question through the web interface in the 15 minutes or so before the call started asking about replacing the insoles on running shoes. I hadn’t started recording yet, but I basically use the insoles provided with my shoes when I buy them, but my wife uses Superfeet. So anybody that was on early and wants a little more information, this is a bonus link for you.

Here are the specific questions that I answered:

• “For a first time marathoner, how many weeks should a training plan be? I have seen plans from 14 weeks to several months long.” (David)
• “Is it possible to train for a 3:10 marathon and also be setting PR’s at the 5K and 10K levels? If so what kind of training would be best suited to accomplish that?” (Nick)
• “I have never run before and am planning to run the SFO marathon in August. How do I ensure, during training and during the actual race, that I do not injure myself?” (Kumar)
• “Hi Blaine, I am a new runner and have worked up to 2 miles almost daily, how can I get ready for a Nov. marathon (or is this a crazy idea?)” (Mike)
• “How fast would you run the first half of a marathon if your goal was 2 hours 50 minutes?” (Steve)
• “If it is my first marathon, and my primary goal is to finish it running, how should I choose a pace for training, and how should I choose a pace for the marathon and should I run my long slow runs at my target marathon pace? (I don’t want to use the McMillan calculator, because I think that is too fast a goal pace.)” (Perry)
• “Right now, I’m currently running 5-6 miles, three days a week. What’s the total amount of mileage per week that you recommend that I build up in order to be adequately prepared for a marathon? Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.” (Corey)
• “Hi Blaine – My question regarding running a marathon concerns not so much the actual ‘running’, but more the mental aspect…ie: what the heck does one think about for 26.2 miles, how does one not focus on how many miles are left (when you are tired), and finally what would some mental tricks (if you will) on just keeping yourself going? Thanks!” (Judi)
• “Salt is so important but how much is safe to consume over a full marathon , before during or after…” (Harold)

I had a couple of other questions to answer, but I did not have enough time so I will have to answer them on the next call.

I decided against answering questions such as “If you were a hotdog and you were starving would you eat yourself?” Thankfully, I did not receive very many questions like that.

If you would like to submit a new question, then please do so here: http://www.marathoning.org/1-question.html

Thank you to everybody that called in, and I look forward to doing another one soon! If you have any feedback or criticism, then please leave a comment here or email me. This was my first attempt at doing something like this so I definitely would like to know what I did well and what I need to improve on.