I have always wanted to run a marathon but never wanted to commit to the traditional training required. I love strength training and believe there is much one can achieve by using it intelligently. As a firefighter, I have found that no training prepares me better for the job than strength training in all its forms. One morning at the fire station, I shared that I had created a program called the “Iron Marathon,” where, at the end of six months, I would complete the following to demonstrate the power of strength training: 

1. Deadlift twice my bodyweight.

2. Military Press my bodyweight.

3. Perform the SFG snatch test (100 reps in five minutes).

4. Complete 1,000 one-arm swings in one session (using a 28kg kettlebell).

5. Run a full marathon without running a day in training.