My sub 2.45 marathon: my best, happiest race so far. Getting faster with age. You can too.

It’s day two after my OC Marathon (Orange County, Southern California). I’m still so happy, so elevated! There is a sense of accomplishment after every marathon, but this one felt extra special.

I set my PR, but it’s not even about the result. Except for the final two miles when I was in much pain (expected!), everything about this race and its run-up felt right. You can read my detailed write-up note on my Substack:

My best, happiest marathon so far - 2.44 OC marathon and how I got there

I realize (without narcissism!) that a sub-2.45 result is out of reach for many running enthusiasts, but I wanted to share some essential takeaways from my running journey so far:

• Unless you were a pro athlete in your younger years, you have the potential to become a fitter version of your younger self, and I mean in your forties and fifties. I grew up thinking I wasn’t naturally athletic. Wrong! Yes, it takes commitment but I find it fascinating that we can be fitter as we age.
• If you enjoy running, try running every day. It’s the single most important piece of advice I’d give to anyone who wants to improve at running. There are a lot of nuances in running — as you get better, you learn the jargon and the different types of training. However, becoming consistent precedes all other advice. Develop a habit. Don’t rush signing up for a race. Try running every day. I’m not mentioning distances or paces. Become consistent first. Run whatever distances, and however slow or fast you feel. But run every day.
• This is one a little more aggressive and perhaps controversial, but, no, there is probably nothing wrong with your knees or bones that prevents you from running, and, no, running is not bad for your knees. You’re more likely to get injured if you don’t run or run inconsistently. Of course, if you had a genuine injury in the past…