Mississauga 2022: marathon DNF. Mississauga 2026: 3:49:34 PR. Here's exactly what four years of strength training changed about marathon prep, with science
Hey TJ!! man, thanks for the message! these sort of things are bigger than the race itself…you are right! goes way beyond that! girls are watching, friends…this has a huge ripple effect!
Hi Abel, really loved this piece — especially the part about the body you bring to the start line being built months earlier in the gym. That resonates. I’ve run three marathons myself, all after the age of 60, and the difference between the builds where I lifted consistently and the ones where I didn’t was night and day. Strength isn’t optional once you’re past a certain age — it’s the thing that keeps you in the game.
I see the same pattern in pickleball. I’m 78 and still play and coach several days a week, and the players who stay strong — glutes, posterior chain, single‑leg stability — move better, get injured less, and hold up deep into matches. Endurance shows up when the structure underneath it is solid.
Your story about kilometer 26 is exactly what I’ve watched happen on the courts and in my own training: the body that breaks down is not the same body that finishes strong. The prep is the difference.
Thanks Bob! appreciate it! 3 marathons after 60????? no comments! you are strong! way above average for your age! that’s inspirational! Yeah, strength is not optional, building muscle properly will bring so many benefits later on, it’s the best health insurance! it’s been proven many times! After my injury, lifting became non-negotiable and where I see personally the benefits is in the recovery area…I recover so much quickly! today, I feel strong again, 3 days after the effort on Sunday…it’s hard to believe what a good leg workout will do for your recovery! glad it resonated with you…that’s the idea behind the Strength First Athlete philosophy!
Thanks, Abel — really appreciate that. And you’re right, strength changes everything. I see it in pickleball too: the players who lift recover faster, move better, and stay in the game longer. What you said about feeling strong again just three days after the race really landed — that’s exactly the payoff most people don’t realize comes from consistent leg work. Love what you’re building with Strength First Athlete.
Appreciate it Bob! I like seeing this as a multi-factorial thing. Indeed, there are many variables, but especially for the people you coach, a good nutrition and sleep is so important as well...as I read in a book recently, sleep is the most important asset as well, and we need to protect it. That's where muscle growth happens in reality.
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing the story and emphasizing how the prep starts much sooner. You can tell a good story, that’s for sure, but it’s fantastic to read about your good race. Hope you’re celebrating your new PR with your girls!
This is awesome man thanks for sharing. So much bigger than just a race. Proud of you for this accomplishment brother!
Hey TJ!! man, thanks for the message! these sort of things are bigger than the race itself…you are right! goes way beyond that! girls are watching, friends…this has a huge ripple effect!
Hi Abel, really loved this piece — especially the part about the body you bring to the start line being built months earlier in the gym. That resonates. I’ve run three marathons myself, all after the age of 60, and the difference between the builds where I lifted consistently and the ones where I didn’t was night and day. Strength isn’t optional once you’re past a certain age — it’s the thing that keeps you in the game.
I see the same pattern in pickleball. I’m 78 and still play and coach several days a week, and the players who stay strong — glutes, posterior chain, single‑leg stability — move better, get injured less, and hold up deep into matches. Endurance shows up when the structure underneath it is solid.
Your story about kilometer 26 is exactly what I’ve watched happen on the courts and in my own training: the body that breaks down is not the same body that finishes strong. The prep is the difference.
Thanks Bob! appreciate it! 3 marathons after 60????? no comments! you are strong! way above average for your age! that’s inspirational! Yeah, strength is not optional, building muscle properly will bring so many benefits later on, it’s the best health insurance! it’s been proven many times! After my injury, lifting became non-negotiable and where I see personally the benefits is in the recovery area…I recover so much quickly! today, I feel strong again, 3 days after the effort on Sunday…it’s hard to believe what a good leg workout will do for your recovery! glad it resonated with you…that’s the idea behind the Strength First Athlete philosophy!
Thanks, Abel — really appreciate that. And you’re right, strength changes everything. I see it in pickleball too: the players who lift recover faster, move better, and stay in the game longer. What you said about feeling strong again just three days after the race really landed — that’s exactly the payoff most people don’t realize comes from consistent leg work. Love what you’re building with Strength First Athlete.
Appreciate it Bob! I like seeing this as a multi-factorial thing. Indeed, there are many variables, but especially for the people you coach, a good nutrition and sleep is so important as well...as I read in a book recently, sleep is the most important asset as well, and we need to protect it. That's where muscle growth happens in reality.
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing the story and emphasizing how the prep starts much sooner. You can tell a good story, that’s for sure, but it’s fantastic to read about your good race. Hope you’re celebrating your new PR with your girls!