About Project Unreasonable
What is this?
A 50-year-old non-runner attempting to qualify for the Boston Marathon in 12 months. Every workout tracked. Every metric public. No shortcuts.
This site is the complete record — from the first brain dump on a coaching forum in October 2025 to race day at the Indianapolis Marathon in November 2026. If you're just finding this, you can start from the beginning.
Who is John Goldman?
CEO of Rebel Health Alliance. Not a lifelong runner. Ran the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2025 at 11:58/mi — roughly a 5-hour marathon pace. The kind of time that makes a Boston Qualifier sound like a different sport.
The Goal
Boston Qualifier. Sub 3:15 at the Indianapolis Marathon, November 2026.
The 50-54 age group qualifying time is 3:20, but to actually get a slot you need a buffer. Sub 3:15 is the real target. That's going from ~5 hours to ~3:15 — a 35% improvement — in 12 months.
The Team
This isn't a solo project. There's a full team behind it:
- Alan Couzens, MSc — Exercise physiologist and endurance coach. Designed the complete 12-month training plan.
- Physician — Regular bloodwork, metabolic testing, health monitoring.
- Physical Therapist — Injury prevention, biomechanics, recovery protocols.
Why "Unreasonable"?
Because the math says it shouldn't be possible.
Alan's data shows that the required training ramp — +8 CTL per month sustained over 8 months — is at the absolute upper limit of what an average training responder can achieve. The average athlete manages +4 per month. John would need to be at the very top of the response curve, month after month, with no injuries, no setbacks, no plateaus.
But with the right team, the right data, and the right commitment — unreasonable becomes a target. That's what this project is about.
Follow Along
Every update lands here first. Follow the journey from the homepage, explore the data, or trace the full timeline.