Hey Conscious Runners! I’ve got an amazing episode for you! I know I say that about every episode, and it’s true. But honestly, this one is takes it to a another level! Today, I’ve got first time marathoner Brian Madden on the line with me. I met Brian a couple of years ago. He reached out to me about being interested in running a marathon. I didn’t hear from him for two years.

About two months ago, I got a message from him saying that he was going to run a marathon and that he wanted my help. I immediately said yes! To say coaching Brian was an adventure is an understatement! First of all, he came to me never having run over a 5k and in 7 weeks, he wanted to complete his first marathon in 6 hours. But for Brian it was about much more than this. It was about crossing the finish line before he turned 40 years old, it was about challenging himself in a way never had, it was about becoming one of the few who could say they ran 26.2 miles.

Brian knew little to nothing about running. We worked closely together as I coached him towards his goal. There were long solo runs, runs in the bitter cold and runs that began at 2:30 am and lots of doubts to overcome.  Through Skype calls, phone calls, emails, pep talks and even a quick call to easy his nerves the night before his race, Brian was able to accomplish his goal and learn so much about himself and running along the way.

What we talk about

  • Training for a marathon
  • Overcoming mental  fatigue
  • Protecting training time
  • Protecting family time
  • Doing whatever it takes
  • Believing in yourself
  • The impact of coaching
  • The power of support

Inspirational Quotes

[Tweet “”I enjoy what running has done for me ~Brian Madden”]

Your Next Steps

Until next time, run strong, run long and be happy.