Marathon Q&A: Pacing, Fueling, Shoes & Breaking Through Plateaus

In this late-fall Marathon Handbook Mailbag episode, Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci tackle your biggest running questions — from sub-3 marathon goals, pacing strategy, strength training, fueling, injury management, and running after 60, to the best daily trainers and marathon race picks. We break down listener voice notes, talk marathon strategy, answer BQ-hopefuls, discuss shoe rotations (Evo SL, Superblast, Megablast), and share insights from Amby Burfoot. Whether you’re chasing a PR, figuring out how to race smarter, or curious about the latest running shoes, this Q&A episode is packed with actionable marathon tips, training advice, and real runner stories. This episode is brought to you by the Wahoo’s KICKR RUN – go to https://⁠wahoofitness.com⁠ and use promo code MHRUN to get 25% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, plus a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order! 👇 Drop your questions for the next Mailbag episode! Timestamped Chapters 00:00 – Intro & Alex’s Santa Barbara Win 02:45 – Course Records, Terracotta Trophies & Finish-Line Moments 05:55 – What’s Coming at The Running Event 07:40 – Kicking Off the Mailbag 08:00 – Voice Note: The Pain of 5K vs Marathon Pain 14:45 – Sub-2:50 Training Advice 16:10 – Listener Question: How Fast Can I Reach Sub-3? 20:55 – Breaking Down Half-Marathon Splits 23:30 – Long-Term Improvements at Age 24 26:20 – Marathon Pacing Wisdom 28:45 – Wahoo KICKR Run Ad Read 29:50 – BQ Dreams at Age 24 34:30 – Choosing a Spring Marathon 40:10 – Pacing Strategy: How Slow Should You Start? 47:15 – Shoe Rotation Mailbag: Evo SL vs Superblast vs Megablast 54:20 – What to Do Between Marathon Seasons 59:10 – Road vs Ultra: Can You Do Both? 01:03:40 – Running Books You Should Read 01:14:35 – Urgent Richmond Marathon Pacing Question 01:26:10 – When to Scrap a Marathon Build 01:33:00 – Long-Term Goal: Qualifying for the US Olympic Trials 01:37:45 – Training After 60: Amby’s Advice 01:44:00 – Closing Thoughts 📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com. 🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook 📘 Facebook: @marathonhandbook 📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter 👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments. 🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify. 📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly running deep dives. #running #marathontraining #marathonhandbook #runnersofyoutube #runpodcast #sub3marathon #bostonqualifier