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9 months to BQ (Read 133 times)

    I'll be 40 this year and would love to BQ in a race in December.  Qualifying time is 3:15, but I'd probably need 3:13 to actually get in.  Having run my first in 3:23 earlier this year, 3:13 feels aggressive but certainly doable.  So I find myself with 9 months of open water.

     

    My first thought is 9 months is too far away to focus on a single race.  I'll just end up screwing around and drinking cold beverages all summer.  Maybe I should focus on my 10k over the summer and then do a 12 week marathon build.

     

    Alternatively, I've been thinking about just putting my head down and doing a solid "Summer of Malmo" type stretch before transitioning into a proper marathon program.

     

    Open slate here...fire away.

      What's the significance of December? Or is there just a race then that you know you want to run?

       

      I agree with your first thought: 9 months is way too long to focus on a single race. I'd spend the next 6 months bringing your times down from 5k to half marathon. You have basically 3 seasons to work with: spring, summer, fall. there's lots of ways you could break it up.

      Runners run

      xhristopher


        Considering you said "to actually get in," a December 2014 BQ would only be good for Boston 2016. So, your window to BQ extends months beyond that December race. If you find there is still work to do, adjustments to be made, or you need another go, you have time for a spring marathon training cycle.

          Not sure how long you have been running but 10 minutes off your first marathon is pretty common especially if you are new to running.  So realistic?  Probably.

            December is just a race I'm planning to do.  In Texas, Four Seasons is a hotel chain.  We have two seasons:  Summer and Almost Summer.  I'm jealous of "ya'll" talking about your Springs and Falls and Unicorns.  Perhaps you were referring to training seasons... 

              Considering you said "to actually get in," a December 2014 BQ would only be good for Boston 2016. So, your window to BQ extends months beyond that December race. If you find there is still work to do, adjustments to be made, or you need another go, you have time for a spring marathon training cycle.

               

              True, there'd still be time for redemption next Spring.  December is just a date of "that's when I'll next run a marathon".

                Not sure how long you have been running but 10 minutes off your first marathon is pretty common especially if you are new to running.  So realistic?  Probably.

                 

                Still a newbie.  3 years total, but just over a year with real consistency.

                   

                  I'm jealous of "ya'll" talking about your Springs and Falls and Unicorns.  Perhaps you were referring to training seasons... 

                   

                  Yes, training seasons. And trust me, we've earned it after running many hundreds of miles through this ridiculous winter.

                  Runners run

                  bhearn


                    Not sure how long you have been running but 10 minutes off your first marathon is pretty common especially if you are new to running.  So realistic?  Probably.

                     

                    Whereas it took me 5 years and a ton of marathons to beat my first by 10 minutes.

                    xhristopher


                      Not sure how long you have been running but 10 minutes off your first marathon is pretty common especially if you are new to running.  So realistic?  Probably.

                       

                      I agree. I smell another reason to use the poll feature.

                      BeeRunB


                        9 months is long enough to become an aerobic machine, which is what will get you 3:13 or better. Good luck!