3:46 to 3:14. 16 weeks. One number I chased every single day. Here's what actually moved the needle. 80% of my runs stayed in zone 2. Slow. Boring. Unsexy. That's the point. Most people skip this part. They run every mile like it's race day. Then wonder why they're gassed at mile 20. But zone 2 alone doesn't get you through 26.2. You need time on your feet. Long runs every single week. Building from 12 miles up to 20+. Not for speed. For duration. Marathon pain doesn't show up at mile 5. It shows up at mile 20. When glycogen runs low. When your legs stop listening. When your brain starts negotiating. You can't simulate that in a 6 mile run. You have to earn it. Every long run taught my body something a short run couldn't. How to burn fat as fuel. How to hold form when I'm tired. How to keep my mind quiet when everything says stop. By week 12, 20 milers felt like work. Not war. That's the shift you're chasing. 1 speed session a week. 800s to 2k repeats. Built leg turnover I d...