Reebok Boston Track Club professional athlete Paige Stoner, an All-American at Syracuse in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, joins DyeStat Editor Erik Boal to discuss making her marathon debut Dec. 20 as part of The Marathon Project in Chandler, Ariz. Stoner expresses her gratitude to agent Josh Cox for helping organize the event, in addition to creating the opportunity for she and teammate Abbie McNulty to compete in their first marathons before the end of the year. She also reveals how the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials performances of fellow Reebok Boston Track Club athletes Martin Hehir and Colin Bennie, who finished sixth and ninth, respectively, have inspired her to expand her resume to include the 26.2-mile event. Stoner speaks about the passion and expertise that coach Chris Fox has for the marathon, and how instrumental and impactful he has been during her preparation. She also examines the adjustment from weeks of 80-90 miles to increasing her training to weeks of 105-110 miles and how valuable the experience of Fox was in helping Stoner make that transition. Stoner revisits competing in the Michigan Pro Half Marathon in late October and running 1:11.53 to place fourth behind Keira D'Amato, Emma Bates and Elaina Tabb, and the confidence she gained from feeling strong in the second half of the race, despite running alone for most of the latter portion of the event. She also analyzes the potential for Sara Hall to set the American marathon record and the overall depth of the field, and how honored she is to be participating with such established veterans. Stoner has her sights set on eclipsing the 2:30:00 barrier in her debut, and hopes her 5,000- and 10,000-meter track speed can not only benefit in her ability to run consistent miles, but close strong at the end. She also reflects on previous elite competitions this year, most notably placing second at the USATF Cross Country Championships in San Diego, and finishing eighth at the USATF 15-kilometer Road Running Championships in Jacksonville. Stoner also provides insight into her experiences with Run Free, a virtual coaching platform started last year by Ryan Hall and Jay Stephenson, and how meaningful those relationships in mentoring fellow runners have become to her, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic.