Most marathoners know the moment when the race really begins.

Around mile 18.

Up until then, everything feels controlled. The pace is steady and confidence is high.

Then the race changes.

Legs get heavy, the pace starts slipping, and the final miles turn into “just get it done” miles instead of strong execution.

What makes this frustrating is that this happens even after months of hard training. Long runs were done, weekly mileage was consistent, and the work was put in.

But many runners eventually discover the same thing: More miles alone don’t prepare the body for the hardest part of the marathon.

In this episode, we’ll break down why so many runners struggle after mile 18 and what actually helps runners stay strong in the final miles.

Using Bryce's story as an example: We'll cover what allowed a 3:27 FIRST marathon followed by a 3:37 finish on the hot and hilly (1000 ft climb) LA Marathon just one month later.

And here’s the surprising part. Bryce was over 250 lbs just a year ago and had only started running last year, dealing with foot, knee, hip, hamstring, groin, and IT band pain along the way.

But this episode is not just about Bryce.

It’s about understanding what allows some runners to stay strong late in the race while others fade.

In this episode we’ll break down: - Why many runners fall apart after mile 18 - The marathon training mistake that causes late-race fatigue - How smart runners build durability for the final miles - Why adding mileage often fails to solve the real problem - What allows some runners to recover quickly and race again without breaking down (hint: it's also what has allowed me to finish 23 Ironman 34 days. My 2nd Guinness World Record)

For runners balancing careers, family, and limited training time, training smarter matters more than training more.

Because strong marathons are not decided in the first half of the race.

They’re decided in the final miles.