Name: Alex AlbertiniNickname: Cricket
E-mail: alexalbertini@gmail.com
Why you decided to be a coach this year: I coached last year because I thought the program was very beneficial when I took it as a trainee, and I wanted to help runners complete their first marathon. I enjoyed coaching last year, so I decided to do it again this year.
Running history: Started running in 2005 with the goal of running a marathon. When I actually ran the marathon, I enjoyed it so much I decided to keep running.
Include prior marathon experience: Chicago Marathon 2006 (4:27:31); MarineCorps Marathon 2007 (4:36:51); National Marathon 2009 (4:04:38)
Favorite races: 1) Chicago Marathon 2) National Marathon 3) Cherry Blossom Ten Miler 4) Burke Lake 12K
Goals: Short Term - Run a marathon under 3:40. Long term - Qualify and run Boston.
PRs: Marathon - 4:04:38 Half Marathon - 1:40:02 5K - 20:31
Hobbies other than running. Baseball, football, traveling, camping, reading
How much do you train per week? 50 miles when training for a marathon, about 25 miles when not training for anything.
What motivates you? The desire to improve my time and to eventually qualify for Boston.
Include prior marathon experience: Chicago Marathon 2006 (4:27:31); MarineCorps Marathon 2007 (4:36:51); National Marathon 2009 (4:04:38)
Favorite races: 1) Chicago Marathon 2) National Marathon 3) Cherry Blossom Ten Miler 4) Burke Lake 12K
Goals: Short Term - Run a marathon under 3:40. Long term - Qualify and run Boston.
PRs: Marathon - 4:04:38 Half Marathon - 1:40:02 5K - 20:31
Hobbies other than running. Baseball, football, traveling, camping, reading
How much do you train per week? 50 miles when training for a marathon, about 25 miles when not training for anything.
What motivates you? The desire to improve my time and to eventually qualify for Boston.
Top 3 Marathon Training Tips:
1) Make sure you have good shoes. So many injuries start with either the wrong shoes or worn out shoes.
2) Take it slow and steady. Do not increase mileage by more than 10 percent each week.
3) Above all, listen to your body.
Preferred Running Fuel: Vanilla Bean Gu; Gatorade
Age: 27
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Occupation: Prosthetist / Orthotist I work with amputees and patients who have difficulty walking to develop custom prostheses and braces.
Random fact: When I trained for my first marathon, I had never run any race before, and had no real running experience. One year before the Chicago Marathon, I started running, with the goal to run Chicago. I trained by myself, had cheap $40 shoes, and did 80 percent of my runs on a treadmill. Although it worked out alright, I would not recommend it.
Coaching philosophy (if you have one): Three 20-mile runs is great preparation for a marathon.
Famous person you'd most like to run with: Paralympic Gold Medalist Brian Frasure and bilateral amputee Oscar Pistorius.
