Last year, I ran my first marathon in 2:41 after a year of pretty consistent 80-95 mile weeks. I did six 20+ milers at about 20 seconds slower than marathon pace. Those were my only “workouts” I guess as the rest of my mileage was at a decent pace (always sub 7) but never too fast. I didn’t fuel or drink any gatorade/water during the race or during training. I’m planning on doing the same marathon again this fall (which is about 30 weeks away). I just turned 24 and have always run a fair amount but never competitively on a team or in college or anything (I played soccer and lacrosse in college instead) so I know very little about how to properly train for a marathon. Therefore, I’m wondering, is it possible to take about ten minutes off in one year? Or is that just a completely unrealistic goal? And, if it is possible, what should I be doing now to get ready as possible for it since it is still months away? I’m dealing with some knee pain right now that is making it hard/painful to run a lot and making me a little anxious. However, I’d love to hear advice from others about this!