Can I be honest with you about one the gnarliest running mistakes I've made?

Baby-runner Marie tried so hard. But knew so little. *sigh*

This will specifically speak to the runners who are 2-4 weeks out from starting Fall marathon training...

Because you're in this weird, waiting limbo-land that's too short to be a formal training block, but it's long enough to still get into some serious trouble.

So for the longest time, baby-runner-marie thought her running endurance was trash.

Just straight garbage.

Because why else would my legs be dying and my lower body be falling apart on long runs?

Because when you're running 50 miles per week, you'd assume, "hey, my legs are pretty strong. I'm constantly using them. I'm running hills. Why can't I keep it together the last 2-3 miles?"

So what did I do? Push harder. Run Longer. Get a niggle. Take a rest day or two. And get back to it.

But baby-runner-Marie wasn't smart enough to put the pieces together of "I've done this now, probably 2x? And there's no change? No difference?"

Looking back, needing stronger legs is DUH. OBVIOUS.

But the reality? I still see this same scenario playing out over and over again on social media right now.

"My long runs feel good until the last few miles"

"I always fall apart at the end"

"My legs feel dead, but I'm not out breath..."

And this doozy: "How am I going to handle the 18-20 milers come marathon training?"

And it's so easy to fall into the same trap I did: If I run more, run longer, I'll finally break through that plateau and feel like I have stronger legs again.

Because for me, and maybe it's the same for you, I'd feel like I was running really strong...up till a point. And then I'd crash out.

Consistently. Like I got stuck; I couldn't get past a specific mile.

So if this is you, please let me hand you the keys to the kingdom. The secret I wish I'd had years ago when I first started running.

You can make long runs feel easy, almost effortless. You don't have to "live with" dead legs. And you don't have to feel like you're falling apart at the end of higher mileage weeks.

Because the solution to all of that is in this week's blog post where I break down:

1. My Leg vs. Lunge Framework, a 3 question "get your long-run together" audit that I use on my running patients in the clinic that help me "diagnose" whether your endurance vs your legs are trash
2. And give you a long-run focused, fatigue-resistant leg workout that targets the exact single leg strength you need NOW to prepare for your upcoming marathon training. (think: glute + quads working together, eccentric quad strength, hamstring power)

Because I don't think you guys should have to learn the hard way like I did.

So check it out below and let's get ready for summer miles to bring us some fall smiles :)

Dare to Train Differently,

Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit

P.S. No really, if you're nervous about upcoming marathon training long runs, this is where to put the ants in your pants. ;)

Looking for MORE ways to work together?

• ​RUNNING RESCUE CALL: Save your run and your race. Work directly with me 1-on-1 at the first sign of an ache, niggle, or repeat running injury. We'll deep dive into the why behind your injury and create a personalized exercise program that gets you out of pain, keeps you running, and helps prepare you for race day!
• Grab my NEWEST FREE Strength resources for runners: The Calf & Achilles Cure Toolkit, made for marathoners sidelined by stiff, painful achilles and tight, injury-prone calves who want to protect their training cycle and show up to the starting line strong, pain-free, and ready to race.
• ​STRONGER FEET WORKSHOP: Losing the battle to plantar fasciitis, posterior tib pain, or reoccurring Achilles tendonitis? Not with this workshop ;)

Did that blog post or YouTube video knock your compression socks off? Consider leaving a tip so I can keep delivering awesome-socks content! Never expected; always appreciated.

© 2020- 2025 All Rights Reserved. You are receiving this message because you purchased a product from @dr.whitt.fit and/or signed up to receive content. This message is for informational purposes only and does not create a health care provider-patient relationship between you and Marie Whitt, and nothing you receive or view from Marie Whitt or @dr.whitt.fit, should be construed as medical advice.