Welcome to Jack’s Marathon Team!

Whether this will be your first or 10th marathon, I hope you will find the experience of running 26.2 miles for the Jack Marston Melanoma Fund personally rewarding. I certainly have in the past, and I look forward to running with you as a teammate and being your personal running coach this year.

As a benefit to team members this year, you have the option to follow a proven marathon training program and to consult with me as your personal coach throughout your training.

Last year, we held successful weekly team zoom meetings on Sunday evenings.  Join if you can…meet your teammates and ask me any training questions. More to come on this topic.

Beginning in May, I will describe the training plan in greater detail and begin issuing weekly training tips.

 

Three – 22 week training programs are available for you to consider:

 ➢ “NOVICE Marathoner” program is recommended if you are a first time marathoner having a running base of ~12-15 miles per week and preferably have completed 1 half marathon.

➢ “BEGINNER Marathoner” program is recommended if you have completed 1 marathon, have a running base of ~15-20 miles per week and have completed 2 or more half marathons.

➢ “INTERMEDIATE Marathoner” program is designed for runners who have completed 2 or more full marathons, have a 20-30 mi/wk base and have a specific time goal in mind.

 

PERSONALIZED PLANS

I can work with you to augment either plan to meet your specific needs.  I have used these plans over the past four years to help numerous runners (just like you) train for a successful marathon experience.  Example:

• adjusting the initial phase of the plan if you are starting from a lower running base,
• if you would prefer a 3 or 5 days a week plan vs the 4 days per week in the current plans,
• long runs on Sunday vs Saturday
• and .. an “advanced plan” with recommended weekly runs if you have a specific time goal. (Note: this option is only recommended if you are a seasoned marathoner and have completed two or more marathons).

Additionally, as your coach, I feel I can help by:

• motivating you to meet your fitness and running goals
• guiding you to train smart and provide strategies to lower your risk of injury
• being a resource to answer any questions you may have
• providing guidance on race nutrition, hydration and strategy, and,
• providing you with training tips to tweak your program/training to help you meet your specific goals.

 

COST

This coaching program is Free – it is my way of volunteering for Jack’s Fund and, it fulfills my personal commitment as a RRCA certified running coach to give back and help fellow runners.

 

WHO I AM AND WHAT ARE MY QUALIFICATIONS

I started running at the age of 47 and, over the past seven years, I have gained invaluable knowledge from several coaches and friends who enjoy distance running.

I see this as an opportunity for me to gain additional coaching experience. To date, all of my coaching has been done face-to-face, so this will be a new challenge for me, as we will most likely interact by email, Facebook, and/or on the phone to the extent you desire. I do hope over the coming months we can organize a TEAM run (approx. once per month) in the Chicago area.

In April 2013, I completed the Road Runners Club of America Coaching Certification.

This involved attending a 16 hr instructional course in St. Louis MO, and passing a 4 hr online exam. A further requirement is for me to maintain American Red Cross First Aid and Child & Adult CRP – AED Certifications.

My coaching experience extends back over the past four years with various running groups.

• Currently, a Marathon Distance Coach for Performance Running, a group with 200+ members in the western suburbs of Chicago.
• Working and training with a group of 10 runners who have a personal goal to break 2-hrs for a half and 4-hrs for a full marathon.
• Designed & co-coached the 2013 Fox River Trail Runners (FRTR) Fall Marathon Training program and assisted 80+ runners on long runs and weekly workouts while training for the following 2013 marathons: Fox Valley, Milwaukee, Chicago and Naperville.
• A “Pace Group” leader for the FRTR Half & Full marathon training programs for the past 4 years.
• Coached two “Walk to Run 5K” Programs: One for the Batavia Park District in the summer of 2013 and last fall a 10 week Program at the Company where I work. I found this personally rewarding to help new runners participate and complete their first 5K.
• I continue coaching two runners one-on-one who have specific 10K and half marathon time goals.

 

WHY JACK’S TEAM – MY PERSONAL STORY

I hope by telling you an abbreviated version of my running story, I will explain where my passion for long distance running was born, why I continue to run for Jack’s Team and why I think my running experiences may be a useful resource to you during your upcoming training.

I started running in the summer of 2007 shortly after my son Charles turned 16, because I needed to do something about my weight. I had just bought several new pairs of 36” trousers and I was on the verge of going over the 200 lb. barrier. I had played ice hockey and soccer growing up in Canada and abroad – but never was I a “Runner”.   My inspiration to run came from my wife Nancy who took up running after three child births. She started running 5K & 10K’s, and in 2006, she attempted her first ½ marathon. She continued to raise the bar and decided to do something crazy like run the Houston Marathon in Jan. 2007.

After watching what running did for her, both physically and emotionally, I decided to start training with her.

In July of 2007 I could barely run 2 miles continuously. My first race was a 4 mile road race at Leinenkugel’s Pure Water Days in Chippewa WI on 8/11/2007. Soon after I decided to train for and run my first half marathon – the Harbor Half Marathon in Corpus Christi TX. What a huge challenge. I was hooked with the racing atmosphere. I quickly made a new goal “to break 2 hrs” and by this time I was noticing the “need to run”. I started to get the euphoric rush from running and the shrinking belt loops gave me the encouragement to continue.

After two additional half marathons (both sub 2 hrs) I decided to tackle the Marathon.  Nancy and I trained together, and I completed my first full Marathon on the day of my 48th birthday in New Orleans (Feb. 2008).   I recall I did what every Newbie tends to do – I went out too fast and I really struggled for the last 4 miles in the high heat and humidity – but I finished happy, with an incredible sense of accomplishment!

In the summer of 2008, we decided to move our family back to Batavia IL after 4 years in south Texas.

Nancy and I wanted to run the 2008 Chicago Marathon together and in seeking charities to run with, we discovered Jack’s Fund.

Nancy was (still is) a Melanoma survivor so we had a personal attachment to the Fight against Melanoma.  I remember the tremendous anxiety Nancy went through when she was first diagnosed, and fortunately, she was lucky due to early detection. Her experience was one of the reasons we made the move to get out of the heat and sun of the gulf coast.  Over the years Nancy has had additional biopsies and lessons removed, but none have been Melanoma.  Our children see a dermatologist regularly and our son Charles has had a few spots removed as a preventive measure.  Nancy and I are committed to helping raise awareness of melanoma, especially due to the alarming rate of increase in children.  We also ran as Jack’s Team members at the 2009 Chicago Marathon.  Nancy no longer runs full marathons and now prefers the half marathon and sprint triathlon events.  I however, have continued to run and most recently ran as a Jack’s Team member at the 2013 New York City Marathon, and I participated on the 2012 NYC Marathon team although the marathon was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.

As a result of fundraising and running with Jack’s Team over several years, I have developed new friendships with supporters and fellow runners who have shared their personal stories of loved ones, friends & business associates who were not as fortunate as my wife.  I recall Jack’s Fund had a huge team at the 2009 Rock & Roll Chicago Half Marathon.  I remember meeting and running with a young man named Bob Marsh.  I was awestruck by the fact he was running with the Team soon after going through some serious treatment in his battle against melanoma.

I was saddened to learn Bob lost his fight to melanoma.  He was so young.  I was touched by his strength and determination.  I hope you will share with me your story of why you decided to run with Jack’s Team.

 

MY EXPERIENCE AS A LONG DISTANCE RUNNER

Over the last 14 years I have completed 13 full marathons and 5 Ultra-marathons (50K distance only), both on road and extreme trails in 7 states and in Canada.

I will not bore you with the details of all the 5K, 10K and ½ marathons I have completed.  I am passionate about running. I am an avid reader of books on long distance running, and I am willing to share with you things that have worked for me and things that haven’t.  Despite getting older I continue to get faster – by training smart.  Running helps me handle the stress in my life and to maintain my weight.  It may surprise you that I typically run only 3 focused runs per week, sometimes 4, and seldom do I run more than 35-40 miles/wk.  I try to cycle 90min per week (indoors or out).  I’d like to point out I am not a medical doctor, nor am I a nutritionist, so I will ask you to consult with your own doctor or other professional if your questions or concerns are outside the scope of my training or knowledge.  I do have personal contacts with a number of physio & massage therapists and chiropractors, who can help me answer your questions/provide resources on stretching, core work, or, injuries, if they arise.

I look forward to meeting and running with you!

Everett C. Phillips

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