Podcasts · The Marathon Podcast

#142 Jess Donohue: From numerous stress fractures to OTQ | "I want to be the runner I wish I saw when I was in high school"

5 Apr 2026 · 1 h 21 min

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Jess Donohue just ran an OTQ and a 2:34 marathon. She's had a bumpy road to this result, with numerous stress fractures and having to give up running several times.

Now, she's found her way through strength training and untraditional methods. In this episode, she shares how we can up our mileage and run faster, regardless of our bad experiences with high mileage.

Time stamps:

00:00:00 – Be the Runner I Wish I Saw in High School

00:00:20 – Jess Donohue: From Stress Fractures to OTQ Marathon

00:03:41 – Supporting Athletes: Marathon Park Initiative & Tristan Collie

00:05:23 – The Emotional Weight of an Olympic Trials Qualifier

00:07:45 – Untraditional Path: Strength Training & Injury Recovery

00:10:54 – From National Record to 10 Stress Fractures: Jess's Story

00:16:14 – Overcoming Injury: Finding Your Unique Running Formula

00:18:12 – My First Marathon: 2:40 on Low Mileage

00:23:25 – Detailed Look at My First Marathon Training Week

00:27:46 – How I Integrated Strength Training into Marathon Prep

00:30:45 – Maximizing Strength: 30-Minute Sessions & Coaching Importance

00:35:36 – Reps, Sets, and Pairing Exercises for Gym Efficiency

00:38:17 – Essential Compound Lifts and Upper Body for Runners

00:41:49 – Timing Strength Training Around Hard Run Days for Recovery

00:46:11 – The Impact of Coach Jack Polarecki on My Running

00:48:35 – Overcoming the 60-Mile Mark: Increased Mileage for OTQ

00:52:12 – Critical Velocity, Double Threshold, and Training Alone

00:54:39 – The Art of Hard Workouts: Not Racing Practice

00:57:30 – Running Easy: Listening to Your Body, Not Heart Rate Zones

01:01:05 – My 'Gnarly' Long Run Workout Before the OTQ Race

01:03:13 – Weekly Structure: Quality Long Runs & Double Threshold

01:05:49 – Sub-2:30 Marathon & Inspiring the Next Generation

01:09:21 – New Opportunities and Decisions After Qualifying for OTQ

01:13:44 – Kristian's Running Update: Boston Marathon Preparation

Jess: instagram.com/jess.emily.donohue

🎥 Full episodes + the Boston 2025 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/@Warwickruns📸

Follow my training journey on Instagram: @warwick.runs🎶

Music from Musicbed: MB01XPYH8ZYENVAMB0133EV2TCQFZY

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The episode on the publisher’s site ↗ (opens in a new tab)