Because most marathon plans leave middle-aged runners injured, frustrated, or burned out.
I’m Dr. Duane Scotti, a running physical therapist and coach with 20+ years of experience. I created this program because I’ve seen too many runners struggle with injuries and confusion while training.
After running 5 marathons injury-free myself and helping hundreds of runners do the same, I built Team 26.2 to give you the proven, supportive system you need to train smart, stay healthy, and crush your marathon goals!
Imagine beginning your marathon training cycle with clarity and excitement, knowing you have a clear 16 week plan to CRUSH 26.2 miles feeling STRONG and CONFIDENT! (without worrying about getting injured)
Online run and strength training plan simplified on the Final Surge training platform.
Take the guesswork out of how far and how often you need to run to hit YOUR marathon goal. Lifetime access to the strength training & nutrition for marathon running resource library.
Get the consistency you need in your training with weekly focused feedback on your training. Providing you the clarity and focus you need to accomplish your goal!
Community of like-minded runners and access to our trusted Healthy Runner coaching team made up of certified run coaches, a physical therapist, a registered dietitian, personal trainers and fitness instructors to keep you motivated each step toward 26.2!
Less than one PT session and way cheaper than another failed training cycle! Get expert coaching, a proven plan, and injury-free results that last.
If you have had upper hamstring pain that has limited the one form of exercise that provides you stress relief from your busy family and work life, then you need to hear Mary’s story.
Mary details her journey in how she went from being depressed after she made the difficult decision to cancel running the Detroit Free Press marathon a day before the race because her pain was so bad that she could barely walk to finding the exact steps to safely get back to running and crushing her marathon debut in New York!
Listen in to hear how Gigi made her NYC dreams a reality (without hitting the wall)!
Learn how Lisa got guidance on the runner specific exercises her body needed to overcome her hamstring pain.
She was able to get to the start line healthy for the first time in 2 years and qualify for another Boston marathon!
Have you been struggling with nagging injuries such as knee pain or plantar fasciitis and you thought you would never run pain free again? Do you feel so lethargic and tired because you are not getting in the proper amount of nutrition to fuel all your exercise and running? Those were the things Rachel was struggling with prior to getting guidance from Dr. Duane Scotti as her running Physical Therapist/coach and Brooke Czarnecki as her running Registered Dietitian. Once Rachel got clarity on where she needed to focus her efforts with her training, she not only felt better as an athlete but completed her first marathon, exceeding all expectations!
Team 26.2 is a 16-week step-by-step online marathon training program focused on IMPLEMENTING life-changing structured runs and strength workouts as well as nutrition for runner education for your running and life.
We have a private support group, online training calendar, exercise worksheets & videos to guide you in organizing your training and staying healthy along the way!
The 16 week program starts Monday June 23rd!
We will be training locally in Connecticut for the Hartford Marathon on October!
Live in another state and already registered for another fall marathon? No worries, our program is fully virtual and you can still join our program! Our goal at Team 26.2 is to keep you motivated, stay healthy and running hitting your marathon goals! If your race is in October or November, our coaching team can easily customize your program for your goal race!
As long as you can run 6 miles you are ready to start this 16 week journey building up to 26.2 miles! You will be surprised how your body can adapt and what you can accomplish when you have the support of a team behind you! In order to start you must have been running 3x/week for the past 2 months averaging 18-25 miles per week and can do a long run of 6 miles prior to starting the program!
Strength training in order to run will be critical in keeping you healthy and avoiding injuries. This will allow you to stay on the road building those miles each week during the training!
As part of this marathon training program you will get access to the widely popular and successful Healthy Runner Strength workouts.
These workouts are a self-paced 16-week step-by-step video/spreadsheet training program focused on IMPLEMENTING life-changing run specific workouts to improve your strength and confidence for your running.
The first 6 weeks you will build your foundation and the second 6 weeks you will learn a new routine of exercises to continue progressing your strength all the while keeping things fresh along the way before we taper for 4 weeks making sure your body feel fresh for your big day!
We have videos of the individual exercises, introduction preview videos of each workout, and full length pre-recorded videos to do the workouts with me coaching you through!
We have spreadsheets and clickable exercise video links guiding you through a self paced workout providing structure and taking the guesswork out of what exercises you should be doing on which days.
Absolutely! We have helped many beginners run their first marathon with this program.
Matter of fact we love seeing you crush 26.2 for the first time and guide you each and every step of the way.
This is what separates this program from all other marathon training plans! You will have a doctor of physical therapy on call!
You will have running injury expert, Dr. Duane Scotti design your running plan and guide you each step of the way to bridge the gap from your rehab into your marathon training program.
If you are not sure if you are ready based on your injury and recovery, drop Dr. Duane a message through Facebook messenger, Instagram DM @sparkhealthyrunner, or email (duane@sparkhealthyrunner.com) to find out if this program is right based upon your current situation. If you require more personalized support and direction then you may be more appropriate for our signature 1-on-1 healthy runner coaching program instead of this group based coaching program.
We are 100% focused on helping you get stronger as a runner so you can continue getting in your mental clearing miles during your training.
This program will guide you to implement run specific exercises to adopt a new level of confidence and strength with your running.
Next, We'll help you understand the importance of implementing strength exercises into your training so you can take control over your health as a runner.
Each workout will include a 5 minute dynamic warmup, foam rolling exercises for your top 7 running muscles, 60 (or 30) minute total body strength based workout, and stretching exercises to cool down.
This is a no-judgement, no-excuses program, centered on moving you toward complete control of your health regardless of where you're starting.
Not much! The strength workouts were designed to be done in your home but you can also do them in a gym.
If you can get your hands on a pair of lighter dumbbells and 1 heavier dumbbell or kettlebell that will be helpful. However, as you will see in the videos, I can also be creative and use a Home Depot bucket filled with bricks or a maul axe as a dumbbell or kettlebell.
Other equipment that I would recommend is a foam roller, set of resistance tubing with handles, exercise miniband (for those important hip muscles), and a yoga or exercise ball.
If you do not have one of these pieces of equipment that is o.k. I give you options to do alternative exercises.
I also give you options if you have access to a pullup bar, TRX straps, and a "Reebok" Step.
The key to getting stronger as a runner is leveraging your body weight as resistance and training on one leg (like you are when you run)... This will add a SPARK to your muscles and improve your confidence and strength for your runs so you legs won't feel so heavy.
You will get ongoing access to the Healthy Runner Strength Program and all content for the remainder of the 2025-2026.
You will also continue to have access to our community. You will be able to watch all previous in depth exclusive trainings by our coaching team after the 16 week period. However, no new content will be added after the 16 week training period.
If you love your progress so much and you want to continue working on your next running goal with the guidance your Healthy Runner coach, we do offer continuity options with our 1-on-1 signature healthy runner coaching program (pending availability).
Yes! I've added a 4-month payment plan (see the top of this page) to make it an easy choice.
I'll give you 2 full weeks (check out your custom run plan built for you and complete 3 strength sessions) to try out the program. If you are not satisfied that this program will get you to your marathon goals and decide it's not for you, I'll be happy to give you a full refund. Just send an email to duane@sparkhealthyrunner.com and we'll get you taken care of.
We are passionate runners ourselves who just love helping you reach your marathon goal!
Founder & Head Coach
Duane Scotti, DPT, PhD, OCS is a running physical therapist, run coach, host of the Healthy Runner podcast, and founder of Spark Healthy Runner and has been a leader in the rehab and running community for 20+ years. He is truly living his passion educating the running community that they don’t need to stop running to get over a running injury. Through his signature 1:1 coaching program, weekly videos, and podcast episodes, he empowers runners to get stronger, run faster, and enjoy lifelong injury free running. Through strength and run specific training you can build your body to have a strong mind, strong body, and just keep running! Duane just completed his 5th marathon feeling strong and healthy and will be running the Philadelphia marathon in the fall!
Coach & Director of Community Outreach
LaToya Felton is a certified run coach, personal trainer and weight loss specialist through Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and National Academy Sports Medicine (NASM).
LaToya is a mom of two who knows what it means to be a "busy mom" whether it was coaching cheerleading, working as a sales representative, being an active community volunteer or getting in her fitness.
In 2018, Latoya saw a need for helping those who were intimidated by running and organized local run/ walk sessions to expose the community to the joys of running.
Coach LaToya enjoys helping runners make their running dreams a reality.
Coach- Executive Assistant
Whitney LaCombe is a certified run coach through Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and USATF as well as a certified personal trainer.
Whitney lives in Southern Arizona and loves running both on the road and on the beautiful dessert trails. She knows what it means to run in the heat and enjoys training for marathons!.
Whitney lives with her husband and three children and understands the challenges of balancing family life with running! She was a stroller runner for many years and knows the challenges that come with running with your littles.
When not helping athletes online, Whitney is coaching her local middle school cross country and track and field teams.
Coach- Health Specialist
Cat Aniballi is a certified road, trail, and triathlon coach through UESCA. She is also a certified personal trainer, and group fitness instructor at the YMCA.
Coach Cat found running later in life but quickly realized it was what she loved. She truly enjoys helping runners of all abilities reach their goals no matter what pace or distance you run.
Cat is the “swiss army knife” of the coaching team specializing in treadmill running workouts, trail running, cross training, and all distances from couch to 5k to ultra marathon training!
She is truly living her passion helping others achieve their personal fitness goals!
Cat lives with her husband in Northford, CT
Coach- Speed Specialist
Lufeng Zou is a certified run coach through VDOT by Jack Daniels, ACE certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist.
Lu truly enjoys all aspects of helping runners get faster and reach their marathon dreams!
Lu is passionate about educating the running community about specific types of runs and when to implement during training to reach peak performance.
When not coaching his athletes Lu can be found pacing various marathons across the country as he pursues running a marathon in all 50 states.
Lu currently lives with his fiance in Wallingford, CT
Registered Dietitian for Runners
Brooke Czarnecki is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in nutrition for runners and endurance athletes. Brooke graduated with Bachelors of Science in Dietetics & Nutrition in 2019. Brooke has been a lifelong runner - one of the highlights of her running career was the opportunity to run as a Division III athlete in Upstate NY.
Brooke’s passion is to help runners and athletes fuel their body for sport so they can achieve their highest potential all while feeling their best.
Brooke currently lives in Virginia with her husband, son, and golden retriever but has lived in many places across the country as a military family.
Stephanie followed the downloaded plan off the internet for marathon training but started having IT band pain during her long runs. She thought she might have to cancel the race. Learn how she got clarity and focus on what she needed to do to not only get rid of her IT band pain but conquer the Dopey Challenge feeling strong!
I had an incredible experience working with Coach LaToya and the Spark Healthy Runner team! Prior to joining the program, I had been running recreationally for 3 years, but knew little about how to incorporate strength training with my running.
The structure and strength training were invaluable, and I completed my training cycle without injuries! My schedule was personalized, and Coach LaToya was available to answer questions and walk me through any setbacks. For instance, when I got sick halfway through the training cycle, she helped me pivot and adjust my schedule. Her encouragement, support, and accountability were invaluable, and I was able to cut 6 minutes from my last half marathon! I also won a prize for having the fastest time in my group, which was a surprise.
Also, wanted to add - Coach Duane Scotti was very helpful when I was first considering joining the program. He took the time to jump on a free, one-on-one call, and was knowledgeable, thoughtful, and kind.
I highly recommend working with the Spark Healthy Runner team. Working with them, coupled with their resources from the Healthy runner podcast, were invaluable, and instrumental to me growing as a runner.
I started running 4 years ago at the age of 40 and I fell in love with it. But I was always getting injured and any progress I made immediately stopped. I contacted Coach Duane and he immediately found the problem and prescribed a very detailed strength program and running program to help me reach my goal. I am very happy to say that this past weekend I ran a sub 2 hour half marathon. I will recommend this program to any runner.
Have questions or need help? Reach out to me at duane@sparkhealthyrunner.com