2011 Goal of Sub-3:00 Marathon (Read 8006 times)

Houston is a pretty fast course, mostly flat, but there are a few bridges that don't show up on the elevation chart.  One of these seemed like a quarter mile uphill.  Still nothing compared to Boston, but enough that you need to be prepared for them.  

 bhearn - i checked my place a couple of hours after the race online. I was in 488th. Next day I was 496th.

 

I am running New York this fall. I don't think I will improve enough to run sub-2:45 there. New York is much harder than Boston in my opinion. I think I might shoot for 2:46 there. Then try for 2:44 in Houston and/or Boston... For all its worth I mainly want to keep the sub-3 streak going, right now its at 6.

 

This summer I want to get my 5k-10k times in line with my marathon time. So 17:30 5k, 36:30 10k, etc....

Houston is a pretty fast course, mostly flat, but there are a few bridges that don't show up on the elevation chart.  One of these seemed like a quarter mile uphill.  Still nothing compared to Boston, but enough that you need to be prepared for them.  

I ran Houston in 2009. Here's what I remember...

1. Slight uphill 1st mile.

2. Rolling next couple of miles. (This rolling is miniscule compared to Boston's rolling)

3. Flat as a pancake after about mile 4-5 I think.

4. Sizeable overpass hill around mile 14-15. I think it might be 40-50 ft up.

5. Flat as a pancake after that.

6. Two underpass hills miles 22-23. This are down then ups. About 20-30 ft. They are on the steep side.

7. I believe the route back into the city is a slight uphill.

8. Then a way too long stretch in downtown Houston to the finish. This went on forever. If you think Bolyston is too long....

Logistics of this race are the best of any marathon I've run. Even better than Chicago....

Hee, Hee, Hee

I ran Houston - A couple of over passes in the 1st 10 miles and 1 or 2 underpasses in the last 6 ... on a scale of 1-10 maybe a 1.25.  I found it monotenous it was sooo flat. 

Houston is a pretty fast course, mostly flat, but there are a few bridges that don't show up on the elevation chart.  One of these seemed like a quarter mile uphill.  Still nothing compared to Boston, but enough that you need to be prepared for them.  

Please add:

bhearn -- 01MAY2011 -- Vancouver

That's a pretty big if. In 2009, I ran Boston in 2:59:38, and Vancouver in 3:20. There was the small matter of running Country Music and Big Sur on the intervening weekend, however. This time, I feel pretty recovered from Boston.

Goal: iansyd -- 30APR2011 -- Rotorua (Rotorua NZ)

 

Actual didn't make it to my sub 3 hr goal. I finished in 3:02:17.

An OK first half - 45 sec ahead of target at 1:29:15, but it got too hot near the end and I faded badly. The second half took me 1:33:02 for a (disappointing) positive split of 3:47.

At the 39 km mark I was still (just) on target for sub 3 hrs, but the temperature had climbed up to 20 deg C (68F) - and got to 21C (70F) by the end. My engine just lost too much power. The last 3km seemed like a death march with the world closing in around me - but I made it to the finish. 5k splits (target 21:20 for sub 3hr): 20:55, 20:23, 20:32, 21:22, 20:50, 21:33, 22:07, 23:07, then 11:28 for the last 2.2km.

 

I'm probably mad, but I'm already signed up for another sub 3hr attempt on October 30th. I'm going to get that 3hr monster off my back...The next one (Auckland Marathon) is a flatter course run earlier in the day so should be cooler.

I am sure you are feeling ..So close yet so far!! But in my books, that ranks as a fantastic performance man .. even though 2:18 less would have made it special .. this is no less.

All the best for Auckland. When the opportunity presents itself, i would love to run a marathon in NZ. Its my"most favorite" place on this plant.

A shame that you missed your target, but 3:02 is still a good time - is that a PB?

 

The heat is a real killer - hopefully the weather will be kind to you in October.

It wasn't a PB - I managed my best ever on the same course two years ago with 3:00:21 (oh so close...) but that year it was much cooler (average of 10C - 50F).

I am sure you are feeling ..So close yet so far!! But in my books, that ranks as a fantastic performance man .. even though 2:18 less would have made it special .. this is no less.

 

All the best for Auckland. When the opportunity presents itself, i would love to run a marathon in NZ. Its my"most favorite" place on this plant.

I don't feel too bad. I came 45th two years ago and climbed a few places this year to come in 42nd - so the heat effected everyone else too.

NZ is only a plane flight away. Why not take on the Arthur Lydiard legend http://www.thelegend.co.nz?

Started training for a half marathon less than a year ago. Decided around mid-Dec that I needed to run a marathon. Picked out The Ave and ran yesterday...

2:55:33.... Fourth overall.. third in the age group.

The last six miles my average pace was just under 6:30.