Complete Your First Marathon

Proof required

Upload your 3 most recent weekly GPS run logs (from Garmin, Strava, or Apple Watch) showing at least 3 runs per week across 4 weeks. One session must show 5K+ completed without a walk break. Include average heart rate if available. No race result required — training GPS logs are the correct proof format for this Longevity milestone.

What gets checked

• GPS logs show at least 3 distinct run sessions per week across 4 consecutive weeks — not 3 runs per month
• At least one session shows 5K+ completed without a walk break, visible in the continuous pace graph
• Pace suggests conversational effort — Zone 2 heart rate (~130–150 bpm) or you can speak in short sentences while running

Common mistakes

• Starting too fast — if you are gasping after 400m, you are running at race pace, not training pace; slow down until you can speak in short sentences
• Skipping rest days — most first-time running injuries happen when runners run 5+ days per week before connective tissue has adapted
• Running through illness to 'keep the streak' — one missed week does not break an 8-week program; illness is mandatory rest

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Distance on GPS log must show ≥5K in one continuous session — check the pace graph for walk-break gaps (dramatic pace drops then resumptions)
• Frequency: 3+ runs visible per week across 4 weeks — not 3 runs total
• This is a Longevity milestone — do NOT require race results or chip times; GPS training logs are the correct and sufficient proof format

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Proof required

Upload the GPS activity log for your longest run (≥16K), showing distance, pace, duration, and heart rate if available. Include a short written note (3–5 sentences) describing how you felt at the midpoint, at the end, and how recovery went the following day.

What gets checked

• Distance ≥16K confirmed by GPS — not estimated or self-reported
• Written recovery note is specific — 'minor quad tightness, slept 8 hours, felt good the next morning' beats 'felt fine'
• Pace chart is consistent throughout — a dramatic HR spike or pace drop in the second half indicates going out too fast (flag it, do not reject)

Common mistakes

• Running the long run too fast — the first 8K should feel trivially easy; if it does not, you will struggle at 12K
• Skipping nutrition on runs over 90 minutes — hitting the wall at 14K is a fueling failure, not a fitness failure; start practicing with gels at 13K
• Scheduling the long run after a hard workout — long runs require fresh legs; allow 48 hours of easy running or rest beforehand

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• GPS log must show ≥16K distance in a single session — not split across two runs
• Recovery note must be present — its specificity is more valuable than whether recovery was easy or hard
• A pace spike or HR spike in the second half is a yellow flag worth noting to the runner, but is not a reason to reject the submission

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Proof required

Official race result showing your name, bib number, finishing time, and event date. Screenshot from the race website or timing service is accepted. No minimum time required — finishing is the milestone.

What gets checked

• Official result from an organized event with chip timing — not a virtual race or a solo time trial
• Bib number visible in the result — confirms you registered and ran on race day
• Finishing time is present — not just 'I finished'; the chip time is part of the training record

Common mistakes

• Racing the half instead of running it — going for a personal best in the half will leave you injured or overtrained for the full marathon
• Scheduling the half during a peak-mileage week — check your training plan before booking so you do not add 21K on top of a 35K training week
• Not practicing race-week nutrition and sleep routine on the half — this is your dress rehearsal; treat the pre-race evening as you plan to before the marathon

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Official race result must be verifiable — provide race name, date, and bib number so the result can be looked up independently
• The event must be an organized race with chip timing — not a solo effort, virtual race, or fun run without official results
• No time standard is required at this milestone — finishing the half marathon in any time is the correct completion criterion for the Longevity outcome

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Proof required

GPS activity log showing a distance between 30K and 35K in a single session. Include the run date (to confirm the 3–4 week pre-marathon window) and a brief training diary note (3–5 sentences) on how you felt at 25K, at the end, and what your fueling strategy was.

What gets checked

• Distance in the 30–35K range — less than 30K does not represent peak training; more than 35K risks injury before race day
• Date confirms this is a pre-race peak run, not a random long run — approximately 3–4 weeks before the marathon
• Training diary note is honest — if you hit a wall at 27K, say so; that information informs race-day pacing strategy

Common mistakes

• Running this peak run within 2 weeks of race day — you will not recover in time; 3–4 weeks out is the minimum
• Running beyond 35K — the evidence for peak training runs longer than 35K is weak, and the injury risk is real
• Not eating during the run — by 30K, calorie depletion is serious; take a gel every 30–45 minutes starting at 14K

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Distance must be in the 30–35K range — verify GPS log, not self-reported
• Date context matters: confirm approximately 3–4 weeks before the target marathon date based on the run date
• Fueling note is the most useful coaching signal — ask follow-up questions if the submitter reports hitting the wall

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Proof required

Official marathon result showing your name, bib number, finishing time, and event name. Provide the race results URL or a screenshot from the timing service. Also submit a short reflection (200–300 words) on what specifically changed in your health, habits, or perspective during the training program.

What gets checked

• Official marathon result — chip time, bib number, event name, and date all visible
• The event is a full marathon (42.195K) — not a virtual marathon or a half
• Reflection is personal and specific — not 'it was hard but rewarding'; what specific habit, health marker, or perspective actually changed?

Common mistakes

• Going out at goal pace in the first 10K — the opening 10K should feel embarrassingly slow; most first-time runners blow up because the first 10K feels too easy
• Skipping aid station nutrition — even at 30K when you feel fine, eat at every station from the start; calorie deficits at 35K are unrecoverable
• Sitting down immediately after finishing — blood pools in the legs; walk for at least 10 minutes before sitting

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Official result must be verifiable — race name plus bib number allows independent lookup on the race's results page or Athlinks
• Longevity milestone: NO time standard is required; the reflection is as important to review as the finishing time
• If split data is available, consistent splits (even pacing) indicate good race execution — more informative than the finish time alone

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