Ep. 29: From Achilles Injuries to a Sub-4 Marathon at 18: Alberto Quintero Ayala's Journey

After years of suffering Achilles flare ups in track and cross country, high schooler Alberto Quintero Ayala was tired of feeling like he wasn't in control of his running journey. So, in 2025, he decided to commit fully recovering and shifted his focus to one hard thing: getting back in shape to run his first marathon at just 18.

Alberto documented his entire journey to the Austin Marathon on his YouTube Channel, Road To Marathons, where he showed the highs, lows, and tips he learned along the way to finishing in a time of 3:54:52.

Going forward, Alberto plans to take what he learned and continue pushing forward until he breaks 3:30, 3 hours, and beyond. He hopes others can become inspired by his journey and take on the hard things that feel daunting in their lives as well.

Follow Alberto's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RoadToMarathons

Follow Alberto's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roadtomarathons/