McMillan Running Athlete Results
Results matter and that's exactly what you get with McMillan Running - results! McMillan Running athletes accomplish their goals and we are proud to share their successes with you. In running, the proof's in the pudding!
Gary G. – Two Years Later, Two Different Runners
When Gary joined McMillan Running over two years ago, his running career was at its earliest stages and his training was in desperate need of direction by a good coach. In a 5k in 2004, Gary posted a time of nearly 29 minutes. With the long term goal of running a 5k in under 20 minutes, it was obvious he needed some direction. Within 7 months of working with Coach Greg McMillan, his personal best in the 5k dropped by more than 6 minutes, an improvement by more than 20%. More recently, Gary competed in another 5k, once again dropping his time to within 37 seconds of his sub-20 minute goal.
To date, Gary has had a personal best nearly every time he has stepped on the line over the past two years. As an example to his tremendous increase in fitness, Gary can now run 7:42 per mile for the grueling 26.2 miles of the marathon compared to the 9:18 per mile pace of his first 5k (3.1 miles)! This true success story is still in the making, however. His two main goals of qualifying for the Boston Marathon and breaking the 20:00 barrier in the 5k have yet to been achieved and Gary is still working hard to reach those goals. This fall will surely be his time to shine after many months of solid marathon training in preparation for his fall races.
Coach Kelly Liljeblad Keane’s Athletes – Personal Bests for All!
New McMillan Running Coach Kelly Liljeblad has become a very favored person in the eyes of her athletes by leading them to many personal best this past spring:
Vera B. – Under the guidance of Kelly, Vera has achieved personal bests in three events, the 5k, 10k and a huge improvement in the Half-Marathon by 6 minutes.
Donna W. – Like Vera, Donna also recorded a personal best in the 10k, taking nearly 7 minutes off her previous best.
Danny G. – The trend of great performances continues with Danny as he takes 49 minutes off his previous marathon time!
Dawn W. – Yet another improvement under Kelly’s coaching comes in the form of a half-marathon personal record, knocking 2 minutes off her previous best.
Shay E. – The personal records just keep coming with every race for Shay. New heights were achieved in the full spectrum of road racing, ranging from 5k to the Marathon with the 10k and Half-Marathon in between.
Rorie M. – The terrible race day conditions didn’t keep Rorie from attaining a Course Best by over a minute. “Thanks so much for the program so far, I realize we are only in the
starting phase but I know I'm with the right coach.”
Congratulations to Kelly and her McMillan Running Athletes for challenging themselves to achieve new goals.
Karen N. – A Great Day of Racing to Remember for Karen
A 5th place finish among elite women as well as a 4 minute Personal Best are the two factors which led Karen to proclaim this as “the best half-marathon of [her] life!” Coach Jonas Holdeman attributes her tremendous success to her commitment to increasing her base training period and patience with the entire training process.
Julie B. – Healthy, Happy and Running Fast
“I felt like I had wings” were the words coming from Julie after she ran a 2.5 minute Personal Best in the Half-Marathon. “The plan has been so easy to follow. I have been injury free now for 7 weeks and couldn't be happier. THANK YOU!”
Bill C. – His First Win
It is always a special day for any runner to be the one to cross the line first. It was no different for Bill as he triumphed over the competition in an 11-miler. At 60 years old, Bill proves that great results can come at any age and any level. Congratulations Bill on your age-group victory, McMillan Running is constantly amazed with your ceaseless improvement.
Lois A. – Conservative Approach and Relaxed Attitude Prove Successful
Every runner’s perfect race plan is different. However, by adjusting what is perceived to be one’s best plan can often produce great results. By relaxing and “not running too hard at the beginning” of the race, Lois has found that her pace picks up naturally. Another gear appeared late in the race allowing her to negative split the last mile. This in turn helped her to run a full minute faster per mile compared to last year’s time. Improvements such as this demonstrate that we must be careful not to become too inflexible in our training and racing. Awesome job Lois!
Wayne B. – New 10 mile Personal Best and 2nd Place Finish
By taking the advice of his Coach, Greg McMillan, Wayne ran a smart race completely by effort instead of time. This tactic took him to a new 10 mile PB and an excellent 2nd place finish.
James – “You've re-energized my running!”
At the Rock’n’Roll Marathon, James definitely rocked his way to a 15-minute Personal Best with a smile on his face. James felt stronger than he ever had before and it showed because the race was run under hot conditions. It didn’t slow him down though, he was just too confident in his training. “I can't thank you enough for the boost of confidence this gives me for my future training and races.”
William B. – Boston Qualifying Goal Achieved
After following a 16-week Custom Training Program provided to him by Coach Greg McMillan, William surpassed his goal time by over a minute, qualifying him for the prestigious Boston Marathon. “Thank you for designing a program that enabled me to reach my goal.”
Ruth A. – More Racing Success from Ruth
Once again, the execution of the prescribed race plan pays off for another McMillan Running Athlete. It can be very difficult to run conservatively for the first half of a race with the expectation of running a personal best. Ruth confirmed the designed race plan and finished the last mile with a furious dash to the finish, beating her previous year’s time by 3 full minutes.
“I can't tell you how happy I was to run a strong race to the end. It made SUCH a difference crossing the line with a great time when I FELT great too. I have to say that running the slower first half of the race really made a difference and hopefully it’s a lesson I can take to other races although it really requires a lot of mental toughness to hang in there when you know you are 'behind' your pace.” – Ruth A.
Alan K. – Coach Holdeman’s ‘Negative Split Poster Boy’
Pre-Race preparation paid off big for Alan as he achieved a major breakthrough in the world of marathoning: the Sub-3 Hour Marathon. “Thanks to you I have fulfilled not only a dream three years ago, but a long time ambition.” Congratulations Alan, you have achieved your goal and ran a great negative split race in the process.
Winter 2005-2006
Gary G. – 5k Personal Best Achieved through Execution of Strategy
Eclipsing his former PR by 26 seconds, Gary is closing in on his goal of running sub-20:00. By running each mile progressively faster than the previous, he was able to stay motivated by blowing by the field with a strong finish.
Howie M. - Half-Marathon Personal Best on Less than Perfect Day
Howie demonstrated to us that even though we may not feel our best on race day, we should not lose hope of achieving our goals. “I didn't feel great today, and was struggling a little. It just didn't feel like my day.” Going into the last mile Howie realized he was still within reach of his goal and found that extra motivation to push it to the line. After already running a six minute personal best in the marathon this past fall, Howie continues the trend of success many McMillan Running athletes are achieving.
Ruth A. – Ruth Runs a Personal Best Faster than She Ever Dreamed
“I'm so thrilled but honestly I don't even know where to go now with my training. I'm not sure I believe that I can run a sub-45... a 45 minute 10K was a lifetime goal for me, and here I've hit it in my first race of 2006!” Just like Howie M., Ruth did not feel 100% at the starting line, but kept the race as her focus, not on outside distractions. Huge congratulations go out to Ruth for her significant 10k personal best.
Joe T. – Negative Split Pacing Plan Pays Off
After running a 20k in March 2005, Joe smashes his previous time by 8 minutes! McMillan Running Coach Jonas Holdeman was thrilled to see Joe run the second half of the race by nearly 30 seconds: “I am proudest of the fact hat you negative-split the race! For that you get my highest praise.”
Maria I. – A New 20k Personal Best
“I can definitely say that increased mileage and consistency over past 2 months paid off big time - a sweet reward for doing all these runs in the dark and cold of winter.” Along with her dedication to training in difficult conditions, the hill workouts that Maria dutifully completed allowed her to keep the same pace on the hills while the runners around her were seemingly going backwards. Maria is already “hoping for more PRs this spring.”
Kate M. – McMillan Ultra-Runner Outlasts the Conditions and Competition
Disregarding the muddy conditions, rocky trails and the 50 kilometer race distance, Kate still “had enough energy for a huge kick over the last 3 miles. I passed a bunch of people and felt great doing it.” Congratulations on this effort and best of luck on your upcoming 50-miler!
Jay S. – Boston Qualifier and Personal Best
After six months of training under McMillan Running Coach Jonas Holdeman, Jay has run a personal best by nearly 9 minutes allowing him to reach his goal of a Boston Marathon Qualifier. “Jonas and I made a deal in late August: He told me if I listened to him I'd go to Boston, and I told him I'd faithfully do whatever he says. I think we both lived up to our end of the bargain.” The athlete-coach relationships at McMillan Running are more than just an occasional short chat; congratulations Jay, best of luck in Boston.
Wayne B. – Another Personal Best Marathon for Wayne
“Thanks for everything! The coaching, training, support, and belief have been incredible and indescribable. I have never felt more confident, prepared, and fit for a marathon than this one. After only one year under your coaching, I have set personal bests in the half-marathon, 15 mile, and marathon. Most noticeable, I sliced my marathon personal best by a whopping 4 minutes (from 2:42 to 2:38). What’s also awesome is that I know there are still many PRs to come.” Congratulations Wayne. We are equally excited about your performance!
Karin J. – “I had a lot of fun and am ecstatic with my new PR!”
After Karin figured at the start of the race she would just “give it a try,” she maintained her prescribed pace through 20 miles and picked up an extra 2 minutes in the last 6 miles. “Thanks again for the smart schedule, my times have been dropping so naturally since I started with your schedule and focusing on consistency.” Great races can come when we least expect them. Congratulations Karin and best of luck in your upcoming races this summer.
Eric P. – 2 minute Improvement over One Year
A personal best in the 10k was the reward for the consistent training Eric put in over the past year. “I am excited about the time because it was a somewhat hilly course, so to beat my PB by 25 seconds is satisfying.” Along with an overall personal best, Eric beat his previous year’s time on the same course by nearly 2 minutes. Yet the best part of Eric’s relationship with McMillan Running is his positive outlook towards running: “I love my training and I really feel like I am improving.”
Fred F. – A 10 Year Goal + 1 Year with McMillan Running = Boston!
This past October, Fred completed a goal he had set for himself 10 years earlier: to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon. Coming from the depths of never having run before at the age of 47, Fred did not let the odds beat him and found help in the support of McMillan Running. Even after coming up 1min 26sec short in a previous marathon, Fred stayed confident: “I knew I could get it, on the one hand I was kind of devastated. But, you know you're that close and it won't take much extra to get it." Congratulations Fred, you have demonstrated to us all that every goal is achievable through determination, even if it takes ten years and thousands of miles.
Lynn – Positive Approach Leading to Boston
At the Carlsbad Half-Marathon, Lynn easily met her goal of sub-1:50 and is very happy with the result. “My training has been going great and I have been running at the top end of all of the training runs. I am getting very excited about Boston. Thank you for your incredibly skilled coaching.”
John – Another Race Another Personal Best
John’s confidence is now up after noticing his jump in fitness coming from the training program given to him by Coach Jonas Holdeman. His new personal best in the Half-Marathon is a direct result of the knowledge of Coach Holdeman and the dedication John has to the program. Congratulations on bettering your Half-Marathon best by nearly three minutes!
Fall 2005
Carl R. - Nearly Wins Marine Corps Marathon!
Carl ran a great race (2:22) and nearly won the whole thing, finishing in second by just 8 seconds! He competed well and is set up for a fast next marathon. "I just wanted to say thank you again for your support.
This was the first time that I have run and felt like I had a coach's support that was truly focused on what was best for me overall, as an athlete and a person."
Anne C. - "I ran the half marathon and got a PR by over a minute!"
Anne continues to improve her times as seen in her new Half-Marathon Personal Best. Five minutes behind the leading men, and five minutes ahead of the next person behind her, Anne found herself in a difficult position. However, she remained mentally tough and reminded herself that she was still in a race. This psychological boost paid off well as she recorded a great finish as well as took home a new personal best.
Bill C. - 60 Years Old and Getting Faster!
"When standing at the starting line, my thoughts were that I felt really sluggish and slow during my warm-up and my mind filled with negative thoughts. I pushed those negative thoughts aside by reminding myself that I had trained for this. That my coach, Greg McMillan had done a heck of a job in laying out all my runs for the past 3 1/2 years to bring me to this point and that I just needed to trust my training....that my 60 year old body would spring to life and do what it had been conditioned to do!" And boy did it. Bill ran 23:21, a PR by 26 seconds.
Howie M. - 6-Minute Marathon Personal Best
Howie improved his personal best in the marathon by over 6-minutes! This is a great step forward on the road to a Boston Qualifier. All the hard work is paying off!
Ladd L. - 2nd Overall
Recently, Ladd ran his way to a huge 2nd Place finish by using an effective hill running technique of running "smooth up the hills and running hard down them." In the process, he also beat a local rival. Congratulations on the great finish!
John B. - "We achieved what we set out to do"
We are step by step, knocking off all the goals John set at the start of the year. He was able to beat his previous course best by over 3 minutes. Noting your time from previous years on the same course can be a great indicator of acquired fitness. Since every course is different, having two times from the same course over a set time is a great way to realize improvement. Nice work John, more PR's are surely on the way.
Ruth A. - "Running a sub 22 minute 5K was a goal I wanted to attain and I’m thrilled I did it in 2005!
Using a tactical and smart race plan, Ruth was able to better her 5K personal record by 30 seconds! By "passing people when I felt strong and holding steady if I didn’t," Ruth worked her way past her competitors and pushed herself to a new 5K Personal Record in the process. Keep up the great work!
Wayne B. - "I am having an awesome time working with you. The training and results speaks for itself."
Recently, Wayne ran a great personal best in the marathon using even splits that rarely strayed more than 5 seconds off of his goal pace, just like we planned. Wayne ran a full 1-minute progression despite the difficulty of the course. "I am very happy with my performance, especially that I ran a 1-minute PR in this not-so fast course (Marine Corps) compared to Houston's flat course." Congratulations Wayne, enjoy your performance.
Michael B. - Nearly 2-Minute PR and Age Group Winner
"I actually felt like I was racing" was Michael's comment about his latest 10k race and subsequent personal record. This 1'50" best is an astounding 5% faster than his previous time. Michael's competitive spirit and drive along with his consistent training program from McMillan Running took his running to a new level. Congratulations!
Lynn W. - New Half-Marathon PR!
After a conservative first half, Lynn finished strong to set a new personal best over the half-marathon distance. She attributes her success and pleasure in running to injury-free training. We at McMillan Running agree. A smart, balanced training regimen leads to better races and a more enjoyable experience with running overall.
Larry R. - "Thanks for your help, I actually enjoyed the race!"
Recently, Larry ran a great time of 1:37:55 for a Half-Marathon. This is what he had to say about his experience with McMillan Running: "I was real pleased with the way my training went with you since I've started. I have worked with other coaches and have not enjoyed the experience as much. With other coaches my times did improve, but by the time the goal race came I was burned out or worse, injured. With you, I felt I improved, without dreading the workouts." Thanks Larry for sharing your running with us!
Fred F. - 3-Minute PR and Boston Qualifier
"I attribute qualifying to running even splits, training effectively and visualizing success. I owe a lot of people a big thank you, and you are one of the top ones. THANK YOU!" At the Detroit Marathon, Fred ran a brilliant race using even splits and qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon with a 3-Minute personal best.
Pam P. - New Runner Breaks 5 Hours in Debut Marathon
"First I want to thank you for helping me to get ready for this marathon, I don't think I could of done it by myself. For not being a runner before this I feel like I have come a long ways. There has been a lot of things happen to me that I never thought I could really do as far as running." Way to go, Pam! We used a a smart walk/run program and Pam did great! Smart training pays off again.
Dennis L. - "Looking forward to many more marathons and improving times."
Even splits attributed greatly to this great marathon by Dennis. More marathons will only bring more confidence leading to faster times for you. Congratulations!
Kristin V. - First Sub-3hour Marathon Performance in Baltimore
Despite an unplanned fast first half, Kristin sticks with it and pushes herself to a new personal best. This goes to show that race plans are not always constant and the only way to be a great racer is to learn how to adapt. Way to go Kristin, nice PR!
McMillan Running Athletes Rock Chicago Marathon
October 9, 2005 - Chicago, Illinois - This year at the Chicago Marathon, several McMillan Running Athletes recorded their lifetime bests and qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon. Matt S. posted the fastest time of all McMillan Running Athletes with a Boston Qualifying time of 2:39:54. Dan M. also ran very well, running 2:41:29, which was a 2-minute PR as well as a Boston Qualifying mark. Ron G. also Boston Qualified with a time of 2:53:41. Finishing close behind him was Tim V. who recorded an astounding 16-minute personal best by running 2:56:57 which also qualifies him for the Boston Marathon. Gary G. recorded an equally impressive personal record by dropping his marathon time by 9-minutes to 3:23:03. Josh H. and Joe M. also ran well, posting times of 3:42:43 and 4:15:17 respectively.
Bob M. - "Thanks much for your sage advice and assistance during the past few months. Looking forward to working together again."
On a difficult course, Bob managed to drop his personal best for the marathon by over a minute. It was a great day for Bob as he finished first in his age group and 3rd in the Armed Forces Challenge. Next goal: Sub-3hours!
Ladd L. - New 8K PR and Breakout Race
This was a gutsy and well-planned raced for Ladd. He set out great splits and matched them perfectly. Due to his preparedness, Ladd almost bettered his 5k PR en route to a new 8k PR. Congratulations Ladd, it was inspiring to see your determination and tremendous effort in this race.
Matt S. - 2:39 at Chicago
"I am definitely excited about my next marathon and certainly plan on you being my coach!"
Gary G. - "Thanks for all of your help. I definitely could not have done this without you."
After an amazing 3:32 Marathon Debut, Gary was able to better his first outing by 9 Minutes. Despite a difficult starting position, Gary worked his way through the crowds to find his optimal pace group and continued to roll on. Next on the agenda: A Boston Qualifier.
Dan M. - Boston Qualifier and PR in the Same Day
Even splits and having a plan worked well for Dan in his attempt to better his personal best. After a great PR by 1:50, a sub-2:40 is well within your immediate reach. Congratulations!
Karin J. - "I ran a 3:34! This was faster than I thought I was capable of as I was aiming for 3:40"
Huge PR for Karin, and another example of adapting to mid-race changes. Sometimes running according to how you feel can lead to better results than always following the watch. I am as happy about your performance as you are.
Dale G. - First Marathon Ever - Great Personal Best and Boston Qualifier!
"My thanks to you Jonas for staying with me through the rough patches, which were many, and to McMillan Running for putting together a great program, that was flexible enough to allow me to get around my work hours and some of the down time I had to take. After not starting to run until almost 50 and 2 years later running my first marathon at this pace is a direct tribute to you and McMillan Running. I have been telling anyone who wants to listen what a great job you have done and hope that it brings some business your way." Amazing results! We're so proud of your performance. This personal best is a direct correlation to your work ethic and perseverance even through the ups and downs in training.
Shari W. - 10-Minute Half-Marathon Best
"It was a cold, rainy day, but I was smiling the whole way!" Despite the weather, Shari ran a great race and recorded a personal best for the half-marathon in Boston. Remember, having a positive attitude and outlook towards running can only help you, never hurt you!
Nik S. - Great Half-Marathon on a Difficult Course
On a more difficult course in Victoria, B.C., Nik nearly equaled his personal best by running 1:08:48, and crossed the line 4th in an elite field, only a short distance out of 2nd place. Congratulations on a gutsy race, and willingness to take some chances.
John B. - 10mile Personal Best by 3'34" with a time of 1:08:59
What a great effort! "In the first of our scheduled races we have managed to achieve the goal set for a 10m race ... It's nice to get the result after all the training." While running a tactically smart race, John nearly reaches his 10K PR en route to his 10mile PR. Another excellent example of commitment to the training plan pays off for another McMillan Running athlete. Congratulations John, we look forward to more personal bests during the rest of your racing season.
Larry R. - Fastest 10K PR of the Year is a Result of Consistent Training
Not every race will be a PR, but there are many ways to look for the good in each race. Larry found improvement and consistency in the fact that it was the fastest 10K he had run for the year and a personal best since turning 50! Look for the positive in each performance, sometimes just more race experience will be the result. Regardless, it is obvious that Larry has put in the miles and is much deserving of this awesome performance.
Paul J. - "I just kept pushing on, motivated by the thought of having a great finishing time ... Thanks for a great plan."
A great finish time is exactly what Paul recorded in only his second Half-Marathon. Great pre-race planning and adjusting for the mistakes and problems that occurred during his first half-marathon allowed Paul to finish 2:13 ahead of his previous PR. "Needless to say, I was very pleased and surprised." Experience will come with each race you run, taking lessons from each race and applying them to the next will result in better times and a more enjoyable racing experience. Record your high points and low points of each race, and make a mental note to improve on these points for the next race.
Maria I. - "I felt very good all the way to the end"
After recording a 1:48:35 at the Liberty Waterfront Half-Marathon this is what Maria had to say: "Even though this time is full 4 min. slower than my PR, I am happy today, because I see a huge improvement I made since I started working with you, only after 7 weeks. I feel like I'm in the best shape I've been for the last 3 years! Thank you for putting me on the right track. I can only hope for even better results." We are very proud of your immediate improvement after only 7 weeks of working with McMillan Running. We are even more excited about the results still to come!
Patrick M. - New PR at the Philadelphia Distance Run Half-Marathon
Despite warmer weather, Patrick ran a smart race and managed to better his Half-Marathon PR. Congratulations Patrick! Yet another McMillan Running athlete trains smart, races smart and achieves a new Personal Best!
Dale G. - Yet Another PR, "Almost 52 years old and still improving!"
A PR by a full minute in a Half-Marathon is always accomplishment. Dale continues to improve without any signs of slowing down. "Thank you for sticking with me when I've been struggling and the great program that you and McMillan running put together." Through the good times and bad, Dale has stuck to the plan and it is because of this dedication that he has been recording PRs almost every time he races.
Glenn W. - “I felt great today and thanks for your effort in helping me improving. I really appreciate it.”
While we're always thrilled with a new PR, we're most proud of Glenn because he has learned how to train and race. This will put him in good stead for the rest of his running career. By running a negative split, he achieved a new half-marathon PR of 1:31:33. To put this in perspective, his PR at this time last year was 1:39:05! He lowered it to 1:36 in July and now down to 1:31. We’ve advised him to write his PRs in pencil as they are going to change frequently.
Donna O. - “Everything came together and I felt good all the way.”
With only a few weeks of working with Jonas, Donna’s not only feeling good but she recently placed second overall. Way to go Donna!
Pam P. - “I have gone from a size 12 to a size 8 since I started running not just walking in the morning. I feel great.”
Using a smart walk/run program, Pam is not only improving her endurance and stamina but also seeing great improvements in her overall health.
Christelle L. - “My training is working. Thank you so much! “
Talk about getting off on the right foot, Christelle improved her 5K PR by a minute in her first serious race after joining the McMillan Running team. Running 18:04, she shows that not only is her training working but that she is headed for some great results this fall.
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