Joe Klecker spent most of his running career chasing fast times on the track. The mile, 3,000m, and 5,000m shaped his training for years, but the American distance runner now faces a challenge that demands a different kind of strength. As he prepares for the 2026 New York City Marathon, Klecker is rebuilding his approach to racing, with higher mileage and aerobic endurance at the heart of his plans.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The shift goes beyond adding more miles to his weekly schedule. Klecker believes his track background left him well prepared for short, intense efforts. Now, he wants to do more and build endurance so his speed counts.
“With this track background, I actually have to overcompensate on mileage and slowing down strength work because I’m so well trained at the VO2 stuff,” Klecker explained on the CITIUS MAG podcast with Chris Chavez. “We still keep it in there because you need to still work that system, and it’s important.
“But I think for me, the biggest benefit I get now is from realizing, ‘Okay, I need to completely change my physiology to race for two hours.’”
Klecker revealed that he never competed in the 10,000m during college. Instead, he trained alongside milers and 5,000m runners, with workouts that focused heavily on intensity. Even after moving up to the 10,000m as a professional, he felt his aerobic development lagged behind specialist distance runners.
He recalled reaching the 6K mark in longer races and feeling as though he was fighting to hold on. Other runners around him appeared much more comfortable at the same pace. That experience helped him recognise what his training lacked.
The marathon exposed the difference even more clearly. During his first spring on the roads, Joe Klecker found that his body expected races to end or reach the final kick after roughly 20 minutes. In a marathon, he would not even be halfway through. The distance required him to develop an entirely different capacity to sustain effort.
Under coach Dathan Ritzenhein, his preparation now emphasises mileage and strength. Klecker said he has to compensate for his track-heavy background with more running and slower strength-focused work. He has also completed seven weeks above 130 miles, peaking at 135 miles, according to the CITIUS MAG podcast description.
Speed has not disappeared from the plan. Klecker expects to complete five or six VO₂ max sessions during a 12-week marathon build, with four or five particularly demanding workouts. Ritzenhein wants those sessions to preserve Klecker’s top-end ability. As the coach puts it, the goal is to “keep your engine big.”
Joe Klecker has already seen progress on the roads. He made his marathon debut at the 2025 New York City Marathon and finished 10th in 2:10:37. In April 2026, he ran 2:05:56 at the Boston Marathon, a substantial improvement on his debut. The performance gives him a stronger foundation as he returns to New York with more experience and a training programme built specifically for the distance.
What to Expect at the 2026 New York City Marathon
The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon takes place on November 1. Nearly 60,000 runners are expected to cover the 26.2-mile route through all five boroughs, from Staten Island to Central Park. The race also features a change to the Bronx section of the course, the first route adjustment in 15 years.
The American men’s field includes some of the country’s strongest marathoners. Conner Mantz arrives with the American record of 2:04:43, set at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, and Zouhair Talbi also enters with a faster personal best from Boston. Klecker’s 2:05:56 places him among the leading American contenders.
New York presents a different test from a track race. Its bridges, rolling terrain, and late climbs demand patience and endurance, especially in the closing miles. Klecker’s speed remains part of his arsenal, but his preparation reflects a clear priority: he needs to sustain his effort long after a track race would be over.
His first New York marathon taught him what the distance demands. Boston showed how much he could improve. Now, with a higher-mileage training block behind him, Joe Klecker returns to New York ready to test how far his transition from track specialist to marathoner has taken him.