2010 Goal of Sub 3:00 marathon (Read 8423 times)

I trained with a guy who looked like a body builder and not a runner but he ran in the 32's for 10K, the mid 15's for 5K and in the low 53's for 10 miles. He also ran a 2:34 marathon. Even Prefontaine got chunky after he was out of college. I knew two guys who trained with him and they both told me that he may have been 5'9" but that he had problems keeping his weight under 155. So there is no telling about body type and racing ability. I still get non runners commenting about this runner or that runner who must be really good because they have "long" legs.

Explain that to 5'3" Haile Gebrselassie.

I always just thought it was important that your legs reached the ground.

Geb is short but I think he is 5'5"

I trained with a guy who looked like a body builder and not a runner but he ran in the 32's for 10K, the mid 15's for 5K and in the low 53's for 10 miles. He also ran a 2:34 marathon. Even Prefontaine got chunky after he was out of college. I knew two guys who trained with him and they both told me that he may have been 5'9" but that he had problems keeping his weight under 155. So there is no telling about body type and racing ability. I still get non runners commenting about this runner or that runner who must be really good because they have "long" legs.

 

Explain that to 5'3" Haile Gebrselassie.

 

I always just thought it was important that your legs reached the ground.

 

 

I'm not a non-runner commenting about long legs. I've been around the block, too.

So maybe you've done a couple short distance races, some charity 5Ks. But have you ever run anything longer than 10K Have you ever even seen a marathon?

 Dude...lol

 

 

Obviously not around the block enough if you are still using that word.

 

OK, I started running and racing in the 1960's. So when did you start going around the block?

 

Like I said this group is too used to glad handing. I will fall back to my read only mode.

 

 

On Haile's height......

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/news/2000/03/02/bios_gebrselassie/

Why too used to glad-handing? I'm just saying you're wrong. If you can't take that, then you're the one not used to glad handing. I started running and racing in the '90s, so I only have two decades of experience.

I appreciate your expertise, whatever it may be.

Good article. Yes, I'm struggling myself to find the right mileage (took an unplanned day off today, actually.) Last year was my first extended year of relatively high mileage since college (60-100mpw) and I ran, not coincidentally, my best times since college. A sample of one.

While in college, in the 90s, I averaged probably 50-70 mpw, with occasional forays up to 90, and of course down to 40ish during peak racing season. While I had fairly good results with this, I always felt I was underperforming (maybe we all do!).

My experience this year leads me to believe that had I been a bit more focused on volume and less focused on intensity, and perhaps spent a few months each summer and perhaps again in the winter at the 100mpw level, I could have been a different caliber runner.

All that said, the vast majority of folks on the internet are not trying to find out whether 70mpw or 120mpw is optimum mileage. (Dopplebock is an extreme exception--and he too admits that he's not sure what the outcome of his, yes, crazy regime will be.) Most folks come to the internet running a sporadic 20-30mpw and asking how to get faster. In these cases, the problem is not the excess of running volume.

I was a litle pressed for time this morning as I slept in and had to take my DD#2 to a birtday party.  So I ended the 30 miler with 4.5 mile @ T - Wow smooth and easy.  I really do not understand how my legs can feel so good right now, other than I am taking care of all the non-running training like a champ.

Its gonna be interesting where this crazy experiement lands me ...

PS - I also saw a number on the scale that did not start with 2 for the 1st time in a long time.