Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon (Read 15845 times)

For now, its 5k training until end of July, lower mileage weeks (around 50mpw). I have a whole slew of races in May, June and July... I was to try and go sub-18 in 5k... Go close to 30 minutes for 5 miles... I am running the Brooklyn Half Marathon on 5.30.09.. It can still be used as an auto-qualifier for NYC so I might just go for broke and go for 1:23:00 (and probably die trying....).... Just trying to figure out what race to run in the fall....

First of all congrats Dcv that was an awesome performance at Boston! I kind of has similar goals for the summer - Sub 185k and 30 min 5mile. Why are you planning on lowering the mileage? I don't have a real clear plan but I'm thinking of trying to keep mileage average over 60 while adding more intense speed workouts and the shorter races. I think it will also help build into the Fall Marathon season and hopefully a sub 3 then. Right now I feel kind of lost because I don't have a plan to follow but think keeping mileage higher has more long term benefits. Just curious about your plan.

Of the four sub three runners on Sunday, three look to average somewhere between 60-80pw in the bulid-up and bhearn is a marathon maniac!

I also used a Pfitzinger 70-mpw (peak) plan. I did run one 77-mile week. Also I dropped 10 pounds since running 3:04:24 in December. BTW someone from Kick decided he was going to use my pacing plan, and made a paceband for a 1-minute negative-split 3:10. He ran a 1:35:36 / 3:08:53. Thanks so much to Jim and everyone else who's participated in this thread for all the great advice and motivation. Honestly I don't think I would have gone for it at Boston without the encouragement here; I'd probably have been more conservative and held back to try at Newport, 5/30. Which, by strange coincidence, was just remeasured this week to maintain certification. Turns out it's been .4 miles short the past several years. So much for the west's superfast course. Full race report will be here eventually... hey Jim, when do I get to join the graduates list?!

I was a member of the sub-40 10k forum back on coolrunning back in '06. My first sub-40 10k was 20 days ago I've signed up for the lottery for NY on 11.1.2009. If I don't get into that I most likely will be running BayState on 10.18.2009. Also, there it is highly likely I will be running Houston on 1.17.2010... Depending on whether or not I get over the allergies/cold I picked up the past two days (thankfully after Boston), I might run the Long Island Half on 5.3.2009. I am signed up for the Brooklyn Half on 5.30.2009 where I will try to run a 1:23:00 to get an auto qualifier for NY, but I will most likely crash and burn.... Eh, but who cares...

.Bob, didn't you set your goal at 3:00 at one point and I had to remind you that 3:00 is not sub-3?

Believe me, I wasn't likely to forget! But I did take it to heart and re-do the paceband for 2:59:50. Out of curiosity I did look up the result for a guy running next to me in one of the photos. 3:00:08... ouch!!!!! And he had a bib in the 8xxx's, I think; he'd probably have made it if not for that.

I was a member of the sub-40 10k forum back on coolrunning back in '06. My first sub-40 10k was 20 days ago

Mine too! Well, 3 weeks before Boston.

I've signed up for the lottery for NY on 11.1.2009. If I don't get into that I most likely will be running BayState on 10.18.2009. Also, there it is highly likely I will be running Houston on 1.17.2010... Depending on whether or not I get over the allergies/cold I picked up the past two days (thankfully after Boston), I might run the Long Island Half on 5.3.2009. I am signed up for the Brooklyn Half on 5.30.2009 where I will try to run a 1:23:00 to get an auto qualifier for NY, but I will most likely crash and burn.... Eh, but who cares...

You want to qualify for NY, that's easy... turn 40. I hate to tell you, but the guaranteed entry deadline for NY is May 1. My next marathon is tomorrow, Country Music in Nashville. After that is Big Sur, on Sunday. Of course I am not racing these. I am a bit concerned about the temps here in Nashville -- high tomorrow will be mid 80s. I wilt at 60. I was going to run ~3:20 tomorrow, but I think my goal will be to finish without needing a med tent. I will likely try to run fast again at Newport, 5/30. Not sure whether I'll have another sub-3 in me after 6 weeks of fun marathons and no serious training. But I think I had ~2:57 in me on Monday on a faster course without the headwind; it felt like 3:00 would have been easy.

bhearn, I now understand why someone called you a "marathon maniac". Well done on Boston and good luck in the next few marathons.

I thought it was because of the shirt.

I wasn't sure if I qualified as a hopeful or a sandbagger since I had run sub 3 last fall, but hey I don't mind seeing my name on the masthead. And I'm not going anywyere, this is one of my favorite threads. We quixotic nutjobs need to stick together. dcv2002 if you wind up at Bay State in the fall there's likely to be a big contingent of RA'ers. I'm 75% sure I'll be there.

Hey Mikeymike, was last fall marathon your first sub three? If so 2:49 is fantastic. I'm stil hoping just for 2:59:59 in a few weeks.

Hey Mikeymike, was last fall marathon your first sub three? If so 2:49 is fantastic. I'm stil hoping just for 2:59:59 in a few weeks.

No, I first broke 3 way back in 2002 with a 2:57, so I'm a major sandbagger. It took a few more tries before I got to 2:49.