My First BQ at Age 50, with Victor Yang

Let us know if you've qualified for the Boston Marathon before in the comments ⬇️⬇️ In this episode of the Fast & Free Podcast, Brant sits down with Victor Yang—fresh off a 3:19 Boston Qualifier. Victor shares how shifting away from “more miles, more suffering” and into restraint + precision changed everything: capping long runs, staying patient early, ignoring the chaos of packs and pacers, and using simple rules like “hold it until 23” to make the last 10K feel controlled instead of desperate. They talk through the psychological side of it too—why being 10–15 seconds off pace early can be the smartest move you make all day, and how confidence builds when you stop trying to “win” the first half. The conversation moves beyond splits and pacing charts. Victor talks about being a serial entrepreneur, what it means to “fail for a living,” and why that mindset mirrors chasing a Boston Qualifier. Brant and Victor dig into coaching beyond spreadsheets, how high-touch communication, internal calibration (“how are you feeling?”), and how sustainable training blocks lead to real confidence for runners. They also look ahead to Western States 100 and why marathon precision might be the edge you need when the terrain changes. If you’re chasing a breakthrough, this one will challenge how you think about effort, patience, and what it really takes to level up ⸻ Relevant Links Get coached by Brant Stachel: https://teamrunrun.com/coach/brant-stachel-kingston-ontario-running-coach/ Mental Performance Coaching with Brant Stachel: https://calendly.com/cepadminteam/15-minute-intake-call-clone?month=2026-01 Get my Book! https://a.co/d/00twBZ6d Learn More about Team RunRun: https://teamrunrun.com/ Fuel your training: https://fuelgoods.com/?ref=Brant TAKE THE MARATHON READINESS QUIZ NOW: https://marathon-readiness-quiz.scoreapp.com ⸻ About the Fast & Free Podcast The Fast & Free Podcast with Brant Stachel explores the intersection of endurance training and mental performance. Each episode, Brant—an endurance coach, Registered Psychotherapist, and mental performance specialist—talks with athletes and coaches about training smarter, thinking clearly under pressure, and building sustainable performance over time. ⸻ Follow Fast & Free Coaching Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching YouTube: @FastandFreeCoaching Website: http://runfastandfree.com ⸻ Listen to this Episode on Your Favourite Podcast Platform: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jI6TBvBPYihSf9FhQFZAv Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fast-and-free-podcast/id1867807916