Race Information
- Name: 2026 Glass City Marathon
- Date: April 26, 2026
- Distance: 26.2 miles
- Location: Toledo, OH
- Website: https://www.glasscitymarathon.org
- Strava: https://strava.app.link/6NgYSoeLO2b
- Time: 2:56:09
Goals
| Goal | Description | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| A | Sub 2:54 | No |
| B | Sub 2:57 | Yes |
| C | Smart execution/controlled fade | Yes |
| D | Increase BQ buffer (8:51) | Yes |
Splits
| Mile | Time |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6:42 |
| 2 | 6:41 |
| 3 | 6:32 |
| 4 | 6:31 |
| 5 | 6:36 |
| 6 | 6:33 |
| 7 | 6:37 |
| 8 | 6:32 |
| 9 | 6:36 |
| 10 | 6:40 |
| 11 | 6:36 |
| 12 | 6:37 |
| 13 | 6:39 |
| 14 | 6:36 |
| 15 | 6:34 |
| 16 | 6:39 |
| 17 | 6:41 |
| 18 | 6:35 |
| 19 | 6:33 |
| 20 | 6:45 |
| 21 | 6:44 |
| 22 | 6:47 |
| 23 | 6:48 |
| 24 | 6:48 |
| 25 | 7:00 |
| 26 | 6:59 |
| 27 | 6:36 |
This was my 18th marathon overall and my third sub-3. I’m a 39-year-old self-coached runner based in Atlanta. My PR remains 2:55:37 from Marine Corps 2024, but this race became my second-fastest marathon and further reinforced that sub-3 is now my established level rather than a one-off performance. I started running in 2015 and gravitated toward the marathon almost immediately. After several years of progression and experimentation, including a pivot into ultras during COVID, I returned to road marathoning and eventually broke 3 hours after moving to Atlanta and increasing both my mileage and training specificity.
Training
This was approximately a 16-week build averaging high mileage with several peak weeks around 100 mpw.
Training included:
- doubles throughout the week
- medium-long runs
- threshold-focused workouts
- marathon pace progression runs
- treadmill sessions for precision work
- strength training
I’m self-coached and tend to blend elements from multiple philosophies rather than following a strict canned plan. The biggest focus this cycle was improving durability under fatigue while maintaining high aerobic volume.
Key workouts included:
- 2 x 3 miles threshold
- 3 x 2 miles threshold
- long aerobic progression runs
- high-volume weeks with controlled workouts
Pre-race
Woke up around 4:30 AM, had oatmeal and coffee, took my dog out briefly, and headed to the start around 5:20. Logistics were smooth overall and conditions were excellent.
Fueling:
- gel 15 minutes before start
- gels at miles 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 23
Race
The opening miles felt controlled and smooth. I intentionally stayed patient early and settled into the low/mid-6:30s after opening slightly slower. The course itself was excellent. Ottawa Hills and Sylvania were beautiful, and the sections through Wildwood Preserve and University Parks Trail were especially memorable. Through roughly mile 18-19, I felt aerobically controlled and very much within myself. Around mile 20, fatigue finally started to show up and pace drifted into the 6:40s and eventually upper-6:50s late. The important thing, though, is that this never became a catastrophic blow-up. It felt more like managed fatigue than collapse. I never reached the point where I mentally or physically felt like I needed to stop. Once we returned to the University of Toledo campus, I regained some rhythm and closed things out under 2:57.
Post-race Thoughts
Honestly, I’m very happy with this result. This race clarified that my limiter right now is not fitness or mechanics, but extending durability deeper into the final 10K. I don’t think I need major training changes — I think I need refinement. This race also reinforced how much I genuinely love the marathon. There’s something uniquely rewarding about the long process of building toward a single effort and seeing months of work come together on race day. Next up is Peachtree Road Race, followed by a build toward Indianapolis Monumental this fall. Made with a new appreciation for marathon pacing discipline.