It’s unconfirmed but we’re proclaiming David and Mary Beth Ezra as the most improved couple at the Chicago Marathon 😉 Between their two results they shaved 25-minutes off their personal bests. Mary Beth took home bragging rights with a 14-minute PR. Her official time was 3:41:34. David improved by 11-minutes with an official time of 3:19:16.
Thanks to the VDOT O2 schedule and encouragement from my coach Stephen [England], I felt prepared to run my best on race day. All the training I had in my legs allowed me to confidently push through those final six miles when the temps really started rising. I’m thrilled with the strides I’ve made over these past three years with Run SMART, culminating with a BQ! – Mary Beth
My goal all year has been to break 3:20:00 in Chicago. Thanks to the training plan, my ambitious pace felt comfortable and I knew that even as the temperature was climbing and I was getting tired, I could pick it up in the last couple of miles and have a strong sprint to the line. I’m thrilled with my result and the huge gains I’ve made in three years of working with Brian and The Run SMART coaches. – David
We couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishment. David and Mary Beth have been training with our New York City chapter via the NY Flyers’ training programs for the past few years. They have shown great consistency due to their passion for the sport and commitment to improving each season. The leap they made last week in Chicago was the culmination of years of hard work, not just a consistent marathon build-up this summer/fall.