Is sub 3 possible for me in 9 weeks? 16 weeks actually (Read 624 times)


Feeling the growl again

    So I have a goal marathon in 9-10 weeks.  Today I did an 18-miler.  I also did it in relatively hot/humid conditions (upstairs treadmill).  My goal MP is something like 5:50 (which is likely on the dang aggressive side).  I did the first 10 miles at 6:40, then 5:50 for 6 miles before cooling down the last 2 miles.  It was not a killer but it was hard enough I did not want to run those last two miles at 5:50 for fear of trashing myself for a couple extra days.

     

    #1)  MP on race day, tapered, and MP during a full training cycle, are entirely different things.  Even when I was training at my best in my youthful and rapidly-recovering 20s, I could pretty much figure that whatever I could run for a hard tempo for 10-11 miles was what I'd be able to do for MP on race day.

     

    #2)  In order to handle running true goal MP in a long run like I did today, I've been averaging more than double the volume you have.  You are likely way over-reaching on your ability right now, and you are certainly expecting too much of yourself in your long run when it is such a large percentage of your overall weekly volume.  For example my 18-miler today was less than 25% of my weekly volume for the week, as I'll likely finish out at 81-87 miles after tomorrow.

     

    MTA:  Your log has your 7-day rolling total at 73.4 miles.  You've been running anywhere from 30-50 mpw lately.  No wonder you are tired.  You are ramping up awfully hard.

    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

     

    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

     

    npaden


      Spaniel, if you had waited until mile 16 or 17 instead of mile 10 before you decided to pick the pace up to 5:50 do you think you would have been able to do it?

      Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

      Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)


      Feeling the growl again

        Spaniel, if you had waited until mile 16 or 17 instead of mile 10 before you decided to pick the pace up to 5:50 do you think you would have been able to do it?

         

        Yes, or course, just not for 6 miles.  I could have dropped 5:20 for the last mile if that's all it was.  If you can't drop MP for mile 17 of a long run that you did not run overall at a fairly aggressive pace...well...it's not your MP.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

          BoilerTom90

          I was planning to run the goal MP, but obviously it wasn't.

           

          spaniel

           

          I swapped yesterday's run to today's run. I just finished 5 miles today. My legs are OK.

          5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

            I think I had a great run today, average at 7:29. I tried some MP and it was not bad. The weather was nice cloudy, occasionally sunny.  By the way, yesterday I ran 3-mile tempo at 6:23, 6:10, 6:34. The assignment was 4 miles @ 6:38. I ran out of steam and couldn't complete the last mile. I felt tired all week.

             

            5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

            Goorun


              Hey spaniel, what race are you running?

              2:30ish goal ? Nice.

              Slow and steady never wins anything.


              Feeling the growl again

                Hey spaniel, what race are you running?

                2:30ish goal ? Nice.

                 

                RAN.  That race as 12 years ago.  I am a certified has-been.  Though I hope to go as fast as 2:32 at the Monumental Marathon in November and sub-2:30 at Boston 2015.

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 

                Goorun


                   

                  RAN.  That race as 12 years ago.  I am a certified has-been.  Though I hope to go as fast as 2:32 at the Monumental Marathon in November and sub-2:30 at Boston 2015.

                   

                  I know what you mean. I'm running NYC (thought that maybe you're running it too) and PR +30 minutes sounds like a reasonable goal now when I'm old. Sub 2:50 is harder now than sub 2:20 thirty years ago.

                  Slow and steady never wins anything.

                    How do you guys do it? That is like flying.

                    5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)


                    Feeling the growl again

                      How do you guys do it? That is like flying.

                       

                      I'd ask the 2:10 guys the same thing.  Smile  It's all relative.

                      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                       

                      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                       


                      Feeling the growl again

                         

                        I know what you mean. I'm running NYC (thought that maybe you're running it too) and PR +30 minutes sounds like a reasonable goal now when I'm old. Sub 2:50 is harder now than sub 2:20 thirty years ago.

                         

                        Nah, I'm not much of a big city marathon guy anymore.  Boston is the only exception.  Best of luck with your race.

                        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                         

                        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                         

                          24 hours later I ran 7 miles. This was supposed to be yesterday's training. I probably shouldn't have run that fast.  I felt quite energized. Tomorrow is a rest day, so that is good.

                           

                          5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

                             

                            Nah, I'm not much of a big city marathon guy anymore.  Boston is the only exception.  Best of luck with your race.

                            Why is Boston so special for you? I am still debating whether I shall register if I get qualified in 3 weeks.

                            5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)


                            Feeling the growl again

                              Why is Boston so special for you? I am still debating whether I shall register if I get qualified in 3 weeks.

                               

                              #1) It was my second marathon and first "major" marathon.  I had just finished college and had very little money, so scraping enough together for the trip was a major undertaking.  I ran a great race and took 16 minutes off my PR to 2:37  The crowd support was like nothing else I had ever seen.  It was just an amazing experience.

                               

                              #2)  I ran the 85F range in 2004 and managed to pull out 37th place.  Placing that high in a major marathon was not something I ever thought I would do.  More memorably once again the crowd support was amazing and the only reason I was able to finish that race.

                               

                              IMHO it's a race where the history, local tradition, and the course make it very unique.  It's not just another big city race.

                              "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                               

                              I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                               

                              Goorun


                                 

                                I'd ask the 2:10 guys the same thing.  Smile  It's all relative.

                                 

                                For sure it's relative. You think about guys running 2:05 and think for how long you would be able to hang with them and you feel like a slug.

                                Slow and steady never wins anything.