Marathon article

http://www.tnrunning.com/articles/avery/findyourzone.html

short article and funny video link (click here)

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071121/SPORTS07/711210463

2006 Chicago Marathon Results

Six runners in our coached group completed the Chicago Marathon with great results on October 22nd in the Windy City.

In cold and blustery conditions, the group had an AVERAGE of an 18-minute improvement per runner!

There were no 'softies' in this group as they had an AVERAGE of 12 marathons each, under their belt, and the AVERAGE marathon time was 3:15 - making this an even more impressive set of performances. (We all know how easy it is for novice runners or slower marathoners to improve with the slightest bit of training--but improving already good and experienced adult runners may be the most elusive).

They accomplished this despite 20 mph winds and a wind-chill factor of 27 degrees.

In addition, these runners only averaged about 42 miles per week over a 14-16 week period, making their performances even more impressive.

Biggest Keys to Marathon Improvement

1. Your Attitude -- Your Belief in Your Own Ability to Improve
2. Your Motivation Level - The Energy you Bring
3. Realistic Short- and Long-Term Goals
4. Your Consistency in Training
5. Having a Coach -- and your willingness to listen and learn
6. Your Training Approach (weekly mileage has only a loose correlation with improvement)
7. Your Overall Nutritional Habits
8. Your Connection to Your Own Body -- Your Attention to self-care
9. Staying Balanced Emotionally Day-to-Day, Week-to-Week, etc.
10. Flexibility in Training -- Making the necessary adjustments as you go

A Few Testimonials

“Guy is without question an expert on the technical side of training runners, but what truly sets him apart is his ability to see each runner as an individual. He helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses and coaches them accordingly. As a life-long runner who is consistently competitive in my age-group, I had failed for three years to achieve my goal in the marathon. With Guy’s guidance, I not only reached my goal, but was renewed in my whole approach to the sport I love so much. If you are serious about reaching your potential as a runner, and are willing to listen and work hard, you owe it to yourself to train with Guy Avery.” -Steve Rogers, 53, Top Ranked Tennessee Grandmaster in Marathon (3:10:35 - a new 7-minute PR)

I started running with Guy a couple of years ago on a couple of training runs and was impressed with his immediate ability to identify my athletic strengths and weaknesses. After our third group run, I signed up to train under him and took my running to the next level. I ran my best time in two years in horrible weather conditions. My time was almost ten minutes faster than my previous two marathons. Again, this was in horrible weather conditions and it was achieved on very moderate mileage levels.
Guy has coached me at distances from the 5K to the marathon and also helped get me through two ultramarathons (40 miles), plus he has trained me to re-qualify for and finish Boston twice. Twelve days after Boston 2007, I ran a 3:07 in very warm weather at the Country Music Marathon.
My observation is that Guy understands all types and levels of runners -- and distances from the 5k to the marathon (or more). I would add that he spends a considerable amount of time explaining the importance of diet and nutrition and mental preparation. In our group training, we would receive daily calls or e-mails from Guy encouraging us. Guy is high energy and has a lot of passion for his coaching, and I would highly recommend him to help you.
- Trey Harwell, 39, (Marathon PR: 2:59:47)

“Guy really understands the physiological aspects of training as well as anyone I know. It is obvious that he genuinely cares about the runners he coaches and is very passionate. He puts a lot of time into everything from your training to your nutrition to the mental approach you have towards racing. If you do what Guy says, you will definitely run a lot of new PR’s at all race distances. He is well worth the time and money.” -Andrea Davis, 27, Top Tennessee Female at the 2005 Chicago Marathon (3:09:25 - a new 6-minute PR)

"Guy Avery has helped me move to a whole new level in my running. Before hiring him, I used training schedules I found on the internet and found I could only obtain small improvements while always seeming to get injured. Since training with Guy, I have had personal records in all distances (from 5k to the marathon) and feel stronger than I have ever been. Guy is much more than "a training schedule." He directs me in everything from nutrition, recovery, speed sessions, weight training, and mental toughness and strategies for every race. He listens to what is going on with my running and adjusts the training accordingly. Most of all, it is obvious that Guy believes in the athletes he coaches. He is always available to help with questions and concerns that come up during training and racing cycles. Guy is an amazing coach and I recommend him for anyone, especially those who seem to have reached a plateau in their running." -Denise Piefke, 46 (3:17:04 at Cal-International -- a new 6-minute PR)

"I have been a runner for over 30 years, and I have been working with Guy for the last year and a half. He has been incredibly patient with me while I worked my way through some nagging injuries. His program that I followed for my latest marathon this past fall was undeniably, a major success. I ran 10-minutes faster than I felt possible, and it was because I was so incredibly well-prepared. Guy helped me listen to my body more, recover better, and use my head to run a very smart race. His personalized 'cut-down' method worked so well, I would recommend it to everyone! I ended up running a healthy 'negative-split' for the race, and I never once seemed to have that typical bad patch that can make a good marathon un-recoverable. Guy gave me the confidence to succeed once again and reach my full potential once again." -Michele Keane, 47, 3:37:23!

"Guy helped me take my performance to another level. I dropped from a 1:32 half-marathon to a 1:25:05. After I ran at the high school and collegiate levels, I wasn't sure how to best continue running competitively. Because of Guy's coaching, I am in the best shape of my life and feel more confident in long-distance competition than I ever have. Guy's holistic approach has me running injury-free--something I haven't done since I was a junior in college. Anyone who listens to Guy's advice will see exciting results." Amy Jay, 26, (a new 7-minute Half-Marathon PR)

"A running friend recommended Guy to me in November 2005.  I was just
starting to come out of a long running slump.  I sent Guy my training
logs and, at our first meeting, he listed some times that he thought I
had the potential to run.  I confess that I was skeptical.  But I
trained with him for one year and, in that time, I improved at every
race distance.  To put it in in perspective, my first race with Guy
was a 4-miler in November 2005.  One of my last races with Guy was a
15K in September 2006.  By that 15K, my 15K pace (6:48/mile) was faster
than my previous 4-mile pace (6:55/mile) 10 months earlier.
I ran PRs at 5K, 4-mile, 5-mile, 10-mile, 1/2 marathon, and marathon
with Guy.
Guy's training is founded on classic principles, but his methods and
approach are unique and, for me, refreshing.  His program is tough but
do-able.  He never overloaded me with mileage and he never had me do an
impossible workout.  I always had at least one day off per week.
There were at most two "hard" sessions per week.  He extracted all
those PRs out of me with less than 6 track sessions for the entire
year.  I never felt over-trained, and I always felt like he complied with
the "best interest of the runner" standard.
I trained with Guy one-on-one for part of the year and as part of a
marathon-training group.  The marathon group training was the most fun
and satisfying time I've ever had as a runner, and it culminated with
a 5-minute marathon PR in difficult racing conditions. Whether
one-on-one or as a group, Guy always took time to answer my questions
and discuss my training.
Guy will get your leg muscles in shape, but he'll also get the most
important muscle of all in shape -- the brain.  Through his holistic
approach, and his stress on the mental aspects of training and racing,
he helped me realize some of my racing potential.  The bottom line is
that I ran faster than I ever thought possible with Guy."

-Lance Martin, 35, (3:20 marathoner at the 2006 Chicago Marathon)

“Guy Avery is probably one of the best running coaches in the country. Guy helped me run my best at all race distances including a 2:37 in my very first marathon on an average of only 48 miles a week. As a former collegiate runner and now as a coach myself for 15 years, I still seek Guy’s counsel with my own athletes. I am continually impressed by his ability to get results at all race distances from 400-meters to the marathon -- and with runners of all ages, ability and experience levels. I would highly recommend him to anyone who wants to take their running to another performance level.” -Brandon Williams, 38, High School Coach (32:26 Road 10k and 2:37 Debut Marathoner)

“Guy brings an amazing positive energy to his coaching. He works with each individual to develop a training program that meets their specific needs as a whole runner. Being new to the marathon scene, Guy helped me to better understand all aspects of training as well as improve my quality of life through my running. He helped me to believe in myself and accomplish my goals. I have run new PR's at every distance while training for the marathon. I have now set higher goals and know that with Guy's help, I am on my way to achieving them.” -Emily Ryan, 28, Boston Qualifier (3:35:39 – a new 16-minute PR; followed by 3:28:36 -- another 7-minute PR at the Country Music Marathon)

"If you want to bring your running to another level, Guy Avery is the coach to help you do it. Eighteen weeks with Guy and my half-marathon PR went from 1:23:22 to 1:16:16, and he didn’t even raise my mileage. I have never been healthier or more injury-free. I also dropped my 5k PR three times during this period even though that was not the focus. I have no doubt continued work with Guy is going to result in similar successes. He does more than give you a training plan, he looks at the entire you. The more you listen to all his advice, the more you will improve." -Patrick Cooper, 23, (1:16:16 Half-Marathon - a new 7-minute PR; 2:45 marathon at Chicago - a new 33-minute PR)

"I'm happy to add myself to your long list of success stories! I ran 2:59:20 in the Fox Cities Marathon yesterday, finally achieving a 7-year old goal of breaking 3 hours. My PR of 3:04:35 was at age 35. Now a master runner, I've reached my personal "holy grail" of marathoning. I used your Level 2 program in your "More from Less" series (in Marathon & Beyond), and even though the mileage was moderate by marathoning standards, I averaged 10-15 miles more than I ever had, but did it injury-free. I don't even remember having to ice my legs the last two months! One of the things that I am the most proud of is that my sub 3-hour goal was aggressive based on the guidelines for determining an achievable goal time. My most recent 10K was a crowded 41:30 and I had been doing 5Ks just under 19 minutes previously. Incidentally, I PR'd in the 5K in 18:30 (twice) and did a hilly 10K in a 38:50 PR (during the marathon training). I also ran the Green Bay Marathon as a long run before Fox Cities, in a very easy and enjoyable 3:28, keeping within your guidelines on pace and mileage. Everything worked great! Thanks again for all of your encouragement and support!" -Jeff Alderton, Appleton, Wisconsin (2:59:20 all-time PR -- as a masters marathoner - a new 5-minute PR)

Cross-Section of Coached Runners

In general, coached runners:

> Desire improvement and want to stretch their limits.
> Are open to feedback, willing to listen, and can see the benefit of good guidance.
> Are positive and motivated.


There is virtually a 95-99% improvement rate over a 6- to 12-month period with hundreds of runners of various age, experience and ability levels. The only thing a runner must do is listen and take care of their body.

In general, runners who have run about 1:50 for a half-marathon or 4:00 for the marathon are the best candidates. Slower runners improve much more dramatically if they make the full commitment. About 80% of runners in our current group is about 1:27-1:45 (half-marathon) and 3:10-3:45 (marathon) tie ranges with many far faster than this, and some slower. Speed does not matter; motivation to excel is what matters.

For instance, here is sample of the diversity I have coached in local groups in the last 5 years:
> Age range: 21 to 67 years old.
> Avg. Age range = 35-45 years old.
> Gender has been roughly 50% womyn and 50% men.
> Running experience: From 3 to 40 years.
> Avg. # of weekly runs in program: 4-7 days per week.
> Avg. weekly mileage in marathon training program: 30- to 70-miles per week.
> Actual range of half-marathon pr's = 1:08 to 2:06.
> Actual range of marathon pr's = 2:24 to 4:25.
> Half-marathon improvement range in coached groups: 2- to 33-minutes.
> Avg. half-marathon improvement in coached groups: about 5-7 minutes.
> Marathon improvement range on last 4 seasonal groups: 3- to 44-minutes.
> Avg. Marathon improvement for last 4 seasonal groups: about 13-20 minutes.
> Avg. Improvement rate = 95-99% of runners improve over a 6- to 12-month period

Contact Guy Avery at 615-557-5243 or guyavery@mail.com to fill out a Runner Profile application.

You can e-mail this post to interested friends by clicking the small envelope below.