Dad's marathon personal best of 2:37:13 built on time-efficient training
A father balancing family and work commitments ran a personal best marathon of 2:37:13 at the 2026 Berlin Marathon using structured, time-efficient training.
A busy dad achieved a marathon personal best of 2:37:13 at the 2026 Berlin Marathon. This time shaved just under six minutes off his previous best, set at the Manchester Marathon in 2024.
He is a father with a toddler and a freelance schedule. His disciplined approach proves elite performance is possible without extreme time commitments.
Training structure
His weekly training was capped at eight hours across six days. He kept one weekend day completely clear for family. Training on other days was strictly limited to one hour.
He built his new personal best on just four runs per week. His maximum weekly mileage never exceeded 80 kilometres. For the bulk of his training from January to September, three of those weekly runs were easy, 60 to 90-minute plods.
Fuel and recovery
Nutrition was practiced with precision. He conducted dry runs during training, eating white rice with maple syrup. During the Berlin Marathon itself, he consumed in excess of 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
For recovery, he relied on a simple, effective staple. "I found having a carton of chocolate milk in the fridge is a good way to get an instant hit," he said. It provided the ideal mix of carbs and protein post-run.
Family and balance
Family time was non-negotiable. He integrated his toddler into his routine using a £100 running buggy. This allowed him to log miles while spending time with his child. Preserving one full weekend day away from training was a cornerstone of his balance.
Build-up and support
His preparation was methodical. He included specific warm-up races to build base miles, boost confidence, and practise pacing. His build-up included a 50K ultra in March, a 10-mile race in May, and a 10K in June.
| Race Type | Month |
|---|---|
| 50K Ultra | March |
| 10-Mile | May |
| 10K | June |
There was then a three-month gap before the Berlin Marathon in September. He also incorporated cross-training with two bike rides per week, totalling a maximum of four hours. One session was intervals, the other low-intensity, often using an indoor turbo trainer for accuracy and convenience.
He worked with a familiar coach for guidance. "I contacted the coach I had worked with when I ran my previous PB," he said, referring to Jack Hutchens. His successful 'good for age' application confirmed his Berlin Marathon entry. His broader aim was to achieve a time that would secure good for age entries at most of the World Marathon Majors.
