Forums >Racing>Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon
I have a question for the experienced...I will be making my second attempt at sub 3 at the Marine Corps Marathon in Oct. My first mararthon was a mess at 3:12:00 but I was injuried. This time around I have been really trying to lay down a good base and do some speed work besides just tempo runs. I am already up to 60-75 miles a week for the last month. Is there such a thing as to much of a base. Would have this mileage so far out make me peak to soon. I just ran a 10K last week to test the legs and finished in 37:24. Not to bad of a way to mark my first year of running.
Are we there yet?
Hey, was that a quick decision to run Buffalo or had you been thinking about it? It was an impulsive decision triggered by the fact that I discovered a running forum to answer all these burning questions that were once mysteries. Also it gave me two months between marathons which felt better than the one month I had previosly given myself to recover/prepare. ( I need a lesson in this quote feature) Jim - what do u recommend as a solid goal split time.. first half?
It was an impulsive decision triggered by the fact that I discovered a running forum to answer all these burning questions that were once mysteries. Also it gave me two months between marathons which felt better than the one month I had previosly given myself to recover/prepare. ( I need a lesson in this quote feature) Jim - what do u recommend as a solid goal split time.. first half?
The first time I thought I could run sub 3 was 2002 Boston, I ran 3:01:13. I was running 50-70 mpw leading up to it, ran a HM of 1:21:52 in March. I was doing 1-2 workouts a week, pretty standard stuff--30 minute tempos, some intervals etc. The first time I actually did run sub 3 was 6 months later at Bay State, when I ran 2:57+. Coming so close at Boston helped me focus and be more consistent--ran 60-70 mpw all summer leading up to it, had a longest run of 23 miles, I raced pretty often and even brought my 5k PR down to 17:17 that July. That was the one time I pretty closely followed a cookie cutter plan--the 70 mpw marathon plan straight out of Pfitzinger and Douglas' Road Racing for Serious Runners. I think I'm blessed with more speed that Dopple Bock but I don't have good natural endurance--that is always my weakness. The last few years I've focussed almost exclusively on the marathon and run pretty decent mileage for a hobby jogger and yet my marathon times, while coming a lot more in line with my other races, are still weak compared to most of my shorter PR's. I probably would have made a fairly useful 1500m runner at one point in my life. I'm experimenting with going back to the 5k for the first half of this summer, partly because I want to and partly to see if I can't move the whole line down from this current base of fitness that I've got...the results of this experiment won't be out until probably October though. If I can't get my marathon time in line with my 5k-HM times, then maybe the answer is to move my 5k-HM times down. In the back of my mind, 2:45 is the goal for fall of this year.
Is your October marathon BayState?
Runners run
Chaka, I recommend shooting for 1:30 half. On a normal course the evidence is overwhelming that something close to even or slightly negative splits is the way to go. If the pace feels "about right" in the early going you are almost surely going to fast.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Hey Jim, so are you saying that it should feel slow? When should it feel "about right"? When should it get difficult? thanks
ksrunr All American 10K Feb. '10 Cowtown Half marathon Feb. '10 Boston '10