The Crushing3 project is the story of my journey toward achieving a dream — breaking the 3-hour barrier in the marathon. I accomplished it on April 8, 2018, during the Greater Manchester Marathon. I covered the full 42 km and 195 meters in an incredible time of 2:55:18.
Motivation
This entire project became a huge source of motivation for me. The support I received from every direction laid the foundation for this success. Now, the knowledge and experience I gained can help YOU too! I want this project to serve as a clear roadmap, packed with practical guidance on what to do — and how to do it — to achieve your own goals.
A Complete Approach
- Medical testing — what to test, why it matters, and how to use the results.
- Complementary strength and mobility work for runners.
- Rigorous testing of clothing, shoes, and performance gear.
Key Pillars of the Project
Training Plan by Week
Choose the stage of preparation you want to explore:
Why Did I Take On This Challenge?
I started running at the age of 29 and a half… and that’s when the idea of running a marathon first appeared in my head. After just six months of preparation, I completed the 35th Warsaw Marathon — only a few days after my 30th birthday — finishing in 3:30:00. From that moment on, I dreamed of what most amateur runners dream about: breaking 3 hours.
“At the time, my personal best was 3:18:21 (set in 2014 during the Runner’s World challenge). I knew I was facing a MASSIVE challenge. Despite several attempts, something was always missing before the #crushing3 project. In 2016, in Opole, I was on pace for a 3:05 marathon until the 32nd kilometer… and still ended up finishing in 3:20.”
That moment changed everything. I realized that if I truly wanted to achieve this goal, I had to approach it holistically and take care of every single detail:
- Balanced everyday nutrition and a precise race-day fueling strategy.
- The perfect choice of race shoes, apparel, and performance gear.
- Regular complementary training sessions tailored for runners.
- Compression gear successfully used both during and after hard training.
The Journey
Throughout the preparation period (from November 19, 2017 to April 8, 2018), I shared almost every part of my journey with you — from running progress and technical gear tests to dietary changes and building unshakable motivation. The concept behind this project was inspired by the legendary Breaking2 by NIKE, but created for amateur runners, making it fully accessible and realistic for anyone chasing the dream of a sub-3 marathon.
Support & Partnerships
I carried out the performance testing and personalized nutrition plan in cooperation with
High Level Center.
The main technical partner supporting me with footwear and apparel was Reebok.
You can also read more about the entire journey and my struggles in
Runner’s World.