John Michael "Mike" Havrilla

Mike is a competitive distance runner for over three decades and has completed 23 marathons between October 1995-2012 with a personal best time under 2:55 in Pittsburgh (1999). He was inspired to begin running in high school by his wrestling coach, who was a runner and Boston Marathon finisher. Mike completed his first marathon in October 1995 in Johnstown, PA at age 18 and qualified for the 100th Boston Marathon, which he completed in April 1996 during his first year of college.

Endurance performance analyzed through a clinical lens. Combining 20+ years as a pharmacist and 30+ years as a runner with 23 marathons to engineer high-yield, minimalist training frameworks for demanding careers.

While not training or racing, Mike works full-time as a remote pharmacist with a schedule that includes three 12-hour days weekly and an additional 6-hour shift bi-weekly. Mike has been a licensed pharmacist for over two decades, and he earned B.S. (Biology) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Mike lives in Western PA with his loving wife, Katie, who is a preschool teacher, and his daughter, Gracie, who is in college. Mike's parents, Barb and John, continue to provide support and encouragement as they have throughout his life and time as a runner.

Mike developed MAX-Yield Running as a minimalist method to maximize performance and prioritize injury prevention while leaving ample time for demanding work schedules, recovery and family. He trained for his two most recent races using this method and it yielded exceptional results while allowing him to remain injury-free while maintaining good overall health in his late 40s.

"As a medical professional working three 12-hour shifts weekly, standard 7-day training calendars failed me. Out of necessity, I developed MAX-Yield Running to provide optimal recovery windows around my work schedule and rigorous workouts."

The core strategy of this program is to establish a Yield Day (e.g. Saturday) to complete long/hard training runs with one additional mid-cycle running day, tailored to your race goals and baseline weekly running volume. This method offers flexibility to meet your race goals in the half or marathon while providing open days for recovery, low-impact cardio and strength training to maintain balanced overall fitness.

Below are certificates for my first two marathons including the 100th Boston Marathon, which was my slowest time but most memorable experience and largest race.

Below are my marathon certificates for four races completed in under 3 hours along with four additional races completed between 3:00-3:05, including my personal best time under 2:55 in Pittsburgh (1999) and most recent time under 3 hours in Johnstown (2010).

My Race History in Medals (1995-Present): 23 Marathons + 4 Halfs + More to Run...

Johnstown Marathon (10): My hometown race and first marathon.

Pittsburgh Marathon (7): My fastest and personal record (PR) times.

100th Boston Marathon, Marine Corps, Baltimore-Annapolis Trail and Harrisburg marathons.

God's Country Marathon (2): Scenic, tough race with large hill climb mid-race in Potter County.

My Half Marathon History (2014-Present)

Johnstown Path of the Flood (2014, 2017, 2026) & Key West Half Marathon (2026)

The God's Country Marathon was the most challenging race I have run including an over 1,100 feet elevation gain at the peak of Denton Hill mid-race and running alone for most of the time across Route 6 from Galeton to Coudersport in Potter County, PA through the Susquehannock State Forest. My finish times were mid-range in the race based on my times of 2:54-3:21 for all 23 marathons that I have completed. Click on the images above or the years text for the full archived results (1999 and 2000).

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse