2013 Sub-3:45 Marathon Goal Thread (Read 1005 times)

    doctorjen, is there any way to shift some runs just a little bit to make it fit better? Sometimes that's an option.

     

    Hope everyone else's training (and tapering) is going well. I ended up with 59 miles last week, which was a little more than planned, but the legs seem to be doing ok with it. This week will probably be a little lower. Planning a 5K on 1/21 so I'll have an opportunity to check progress, but not necessarily expecting a spectacular time, as I tend to suck at 5Ks.

     

    Happy running, all!

    PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

    doctorjen


      doctorjen, is there any way to shift some runs just a little bit to make it fit better? Sometimes that's an option.

       

      I do a lot of shifting around to fit my schedule.  The biggest issue this time is a whole week of our inpatient medicine teaching service which falls in week 15 (and I'm actually doing the same schedule this week as well, week 4.)   This means arriving to work at 7 am every day for a week and taking phone call every night.  It also falls right after a week of vacation in which we are going to travel to visit my mom in Arizona and hoping go see the Grand Canyon.  I'll have to be creative to hit my peak milage while working the crazy hours.  It really is only a couple of runs that are hard to fit in, though - usually the long run and the medium long run, so I can often suck it up and get it done if it's only a couple of hard runs.  Shorter runs aren't so bad to squeeze in at the end of the day when tired.  Last cycle all of my hard work weeks fell in recovery weeks somehow.  It would be nice if the racing world scheduled itself around my work schedule.  I managed my easy recovery run tonight on day 1 of the tough schedule at least.  6 days to go for this time around.

        Ah, that does sound like a tough schedule to fit runs around, especially in the peak mileage week. Good luck with getting the runs in!

         

        SRD for me today. I am doing some planks since I joined a Plank Challenge. I'm pretty crappy about doing core work. Last marathon cycle I started out doing the core routine in the Pfitz book, but fell off the wagon about halfway through the cycle.

         

        Happy running, everyone!

        PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

          Hello 3:45er's! I'm new to RA so still finding my way around and figuring things out. 52 year old male, have been running for about 6 yrs. Running the Arizona Rock 'N' Roll Marathon on 1/20 - it will be my 3rd full with a PR of 3:59:54 set 2 yrs ago. Both Marathons did not end well - yeah, the old 10K death march at the end of both. Endurance was definately an issue. So after upping my mileage this past summer, went with the Pfitz 18/55 program - it really kicked my ass, but I can't argue with the results. Ran a 5K pr of 20:42 on Thanksgiving day followed by a 1/2 pr of 1:39:32 in early Dec. so big improvements! Halfway through the taper and starting to get excited and anxious. Good luck everyone Smile

           

           

          whodateverything


            So Prunner, what time are you shooting for this time?

             

            I also ran on jan. 20, my first.

              So Prunner, what time are you shooting for this time?

               

              I also ran on jan. 20, my first.

               

              Sub 3:45. Might go out with a pace group if one is available at that pace. I did that at my recent 1/2 (1:40 pace group) and it worked out great. I have 2 worries though - 1st is how badly my other fulls ended so I'm really afraid of going out too fast (even if I'm capable) and 2nd is that this course does not look to be a great to run fast on - it has a gradual uphill that goes on for miles and miles. Will just have to see how I feel late in the race and if there's anything left in the tank... How about yourself? What are you shooting for?

               

               

              whodateverything


                 

                Sub 3:45. Might go out with a pace group if one is available at that pace. I did that at my recent 1/2 (1:40 pace group) and it worked out great. I have 2 worries though - 1st is how badly my other fulls ended so I'm really afraid of going out too fast (even if I'm capable) and 2nd is that this course does not look to be a great to run fast on - it has a gradual uphill that goes on for miles and miles. Will just have to see how I feel late in the race and if there's anything left in the tank... How about yourself? What are you shooting for?

                 

                I have a much slower 5K (22:50) and my 1/2 was 1:41:15 about a month ago. Interestingly, in that 1/2 race, I ran the last 5K at 22:50, the same pace as my 5K personal best. I'm 56 male. Also used Pfitz's 18/55 but, for one reason or another, it turns into 31/55 (I started the plan in mid-June).

                 

                On Pfitz's plan, I was initially thinking not doing the 3 tune-up races on weeks 6/4/2 before race as I don't think I could handle them physically. However, I changed my mind because one of the senior posters (longboat) said those are the important part of the plan. By then it was 4 weeks before race. So I tried to squeeze in the 3 races on weeks 4/3/2 before race. The first tune-up race I used 10K time trial. I ended up bonking the last mile dropping the pace from 7:30 to >9:00 to finish at 48:11. Interestingly, I ran 17 miles the following day with plenty of juice left (the last two miles at MP). The second tune-up was a real 17km trail race 3 weeks before marathon. After the race, it was obvious there was no way I could do long run the next day as my lower calves were hurting (I had to walk down the stair sideway). In fact, I rested 3 days and started to regret doing such a brutal run this close to marathon. The third tune-up was this past weekend, two weeks before marathon, again a 10K time trail. I ran the first 5 miles at 7:45 hoping to avoid bonking like last time. Well, it didn't help. I had to walk the last mile, even worse than first time. The next day, I had to cut short the long run from 16 miles to 14.5 due to tired legs. So I'm now in the last two weeks of tapering before marathon. I really really really need a good taper....lol

                 

                I'm debating to shoot for 3:40 (BQ) or 3:45 (pace group), or 3:55 (another pace group). Wish me luck. Your sub-3:45 goal is very do-able, good luck!

                whodateverything


                  For those of you using Pfitz's 18/55, what were your experiences like in those tune-up race part?

                  doctorjen


                    I didn't end up doing the races as scheduled.  My work and family life schedules are a little crazy and I have an easier time fitting in training runs which I can do at any time of the day than races.  So the only race I ended up doing was a half marathon 4 weeks out from the full marathon.  I did a "mini taper" and just didn't do the speed work that week and cut down the miles a little.  I ran a 6 minute PR in that half (1:50:37).  The following week I did all the miles, but didn't do whatever speed component was called for on the Tuesday after the race, just ran the miles easy.  I ran 20 miles as planned one week after the half and stayed on the exact schedule after that.  I ran a huge PR in the marathon, too (32:01, dropping to 3:53:21.)

                    This time around, my schedule looks even worse for fitting in some races, so I may do some time trials instead, especially if I can get a faster friend to do them with me.

                      +1 Doctorjen

                       

                      I couldn't do the races as scheduled either. The races I have done though, I've been very happy considering none have had a proper taper. I would also do a mini-taper like Doctorjen - so if the race was on a Sun., I would rest on Thur., run 5 or 6 on Fri., then rest again on Sat. - but I only did this for the longer races (1/2 and a 30k). Big confidence booster when you can PR a race on tired legs!

                       

                      The 30k was a interesting race (my first 30k). Was held right near my house, about 5 miles away and was on the same trail system that I run on all the time so I kind of had a "home course advantage". It fell on the exact day that I was to do my 18mi. MP run so I decided to run it as a training run. Went out slow and gradually sped up the first 4 mi., 8:45, 8:38, 8:30, 8:18,  and then ran the final 14.8 mi. @ 8:05. They didn't have enough volunteers so it was "self-serve" at almost all the water stops - you had to stop, get a cup out of the plastic bag, fill'er up, drink and take off again lol. Took my first gu at mile 6 but when I got to mi. 12, I discovered that my other gu had fallen out of my pocket! Needless to say I was pretty spent at the end of that one Smile

                       

                      I think the MP runs were my favorites of the 18/55 plan - it was just a great feeling to know that as the plan progressed, I was seeing the results and that the training was in fact working like I had hoped it would.

                       

                       

                      whodateverything


                        The point of the tune-up race part in the Pfitz's plan is to go all out in the race, then do the long run the next day. It is this part that makes the Pfitz plan the hardest to follow. I read both of you not quite doing it the way intended and yet you both seem to be doing just fine. I tried to do it in a condensed way and may have just run myself into ground...lol.

                        kevinballen


                          I'm using the Pfitz 12/70 plan but can't find any tune-up races on the days scheduled.

                           

                          I am only in the second week of training. I keep hoping a local 10k will be added but no luck yet.

                           

                          It looks pAny suggestions on where to do a time trial?

                           

                          Kevin

                          kevinballen


                            I'm using the Pfitz 12/70 plan but can't find any tune-up races on the days scheduled.

                             

                            I am only in the second week of training. I keep hoping a local 10k will be added but no luck yet.

                             

                            It looks like I will be running a time trial. Any suggestions on where to do a time trial?

                             

                            Kevin

                            whodateverything


                              I'm using the Pfitz 12/70 plan but can't find any tune-up races on the days scheduled.

                               

                              I am only in the second week of training. I keep hoping a local 10k will be added but no luck yet.

                               

                              It looks like I will be running a time trial. Any suggestions on where to do a time trial?

                               

                              Kevin

                               

                              If you have a GPS watch which can track distance, then you can do time trial on any of your regular routes. Alternatively, you can use websites like geodistance.com or mapmyrun.com. Or, you can use your car's odometer.

                                Good luck tomorrow C-Chik!