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

    Hi! This thread, as its title suggests, is for people trying to break 3:45 (or something similar) in the marathon. For some reason the goal of going sub-3:45 has been a tough nut for me to crack, but  I'm really hoping 2013 will be the year I finally achieve it. Anyone who would like to join is welcome, including people who may be trying to break 3:40 or 3:50 or something similar, but don't quite fit in either the 4:00 or 3:30 groups. Smile

     

    Right now it looks like my next marathon will probably be the Georgia Marathon on March 17. I'm not sure yet if I'll go for the sub-3:45 goal in that race, as my current fitness (which is rapidly improving!) would predict a bit slower, and the course is pretty hilly. So I may be more conservative in that race (perhaps shooting for a sub-3:55, which would be my BQ), and go for the sub-3:45 at a later race.  My marathon PR is from 2010. In 2011, I didn't run any marathons (concentrated mainly on HMs), and in my one marathon in 2012, I crashed and burned, due to starting out too fast for my fitness. It seems excess weight was the main culprit responsible for my slower times, and I'm much closer to a good racing weight now.

     

    If you'd like to join, welcome, send me your race info and  I'll make it into a table.

     

    January 

    CompetitiveChik--Houston Chevron Marathon--1/13/2013

     

    whodateverything--Louisiana Marathon--1/20/2013--Result3:46:10

    Peoriarunner--Arizona Rock 'N' Roll Marathon--1/20/13--Result: 3:43:20!!! Woot! yahoo

     

    February

    snapa55--Cowtown--2/24/2013--Result: 3:39:29!!! Woot! yahoo

     

    March

    CompetitiveChik--Woodlands Marathon--3/2/2013

     

    still bluesky--Asheville Biltmore Marathon--3/3/2013--Result: 4:15:58

     

    not too swift--Georgia Marathon--3/17/2013--Goal sub-3:55?--Result: 3:56:14

     

    kevinballen--Reston, VA--3/24/2013

     

    April

    doctorjen--Garmin Marathon--4/20/2013

     

    cbennett926--Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon--4/28/2013

     

    May

    Mattchiro--Tacoma City Marathon--5/5/2013

     

    June

    runlarryrun--Grandma's Marathon--6/22/2013--Goal:3:40

     

    October

    runlikeagirl--Twin Cities Marathon--10/6/2013--Goal: sub-3:45

    not too swift--Atlanta Marathon--10/27/2013--Goal: sub-3:45??

     

     

     

    Sub-3:45 goal achieved:

    pbjtimepbjtimepbjtime

    Peoriarunner: 3:43:20!!! (1/20/13) Congrats!! yahoo

     

    snapa55:  3:39:29!!! (2/24/13) Woohoo!!yahoo

     

     

    I'll make a nicer table than the above if people join up--just wanted to get this post up so I can go out and run! Big grin

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


    No more marathons

      Good afternoon NTS.

      Thanks for starting this up.  I was just about to lurk around the 3:30 goal group - even though there is a snow balls chance of that.

      I ran a 3:47:30 at the Spinx Marathon in Greenville, SC this past October and am signed up for the Biltmore Marathon in Asheville, NC the first weekend of March.  This will be my third marathon in a little over 6 months and I'm having a little trouble keeping my motivation up. 

       

      Managed 16 miles this AM, and for a change kept my pace in the slowish range, so actually finished feeling reasonable good.  So that might help the motivation.

       

      Asheville Biltmore Marathon - March 3, 2013

      Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

      Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

      He's a leaker!

      runlikeagirI


        This is going to be my goal for whatever marathon I do in the fall of 2013, it would be a BQ for me. Shocked  NTS, I'm in the Atlanta metro area.  If you are in shape to go sub-4 on a course here, you'd be all but guaranteed a BQ wherever else you race next!


        CompetitiveChik

          I was just hopin there was a sub 3:45 thread. 

           

          That's what I'm hopin for. More like 3:40 since that's my BQ time but still a 3:45 is a killer pr and would knock off a huge chunk of my current pr. Dallas was a bust for me as the weather was 70 and it was very humid. so I'm holding out hope for Houston in Jan. If I don't get it there then I have Woodlands. After that I'll just have to wait till next yr.

          Dec 23 - Apocalypse Survivors Half Marathon

          Jan 13 - Houston Chevron Marathon

          Feb 17 - Austin Half Marathon

          March 2 - Woodlands Marathon

          kevinballen


            I am about to start training for a March 24th Marathon in Reston, VA.

             

            I ran the Sparks NCR Trail marathon on November 24th and finished in 3:55:57.  This was my third marathon and first that a didn't flame out.  I had a positive split of about 37 seconds and felt pretty good the last 6 miles.  Mile 25 was my fasted mile split by far.

             

            My initial goal is to break 3:45 in the March marathon but I will have to see how training goes.

             

            Kevin Allen

            whodateverything


              I was just hopin there was a sub 3:45 thread. 

               

              That's what I'm hopin for. More like 3:40 since that's my BQ time but still a 3:45 is a killer pr and would knock off a huge chunk of my current pr. Dallas was a bust for me as the weather was 70 and it was very humid. so I'm holding out hope for Houston in Jan. If I don't get it there then I have Woodlands. After that I'll just have to wait till next yr.

               

              Another one hoping for sub 3:45. Also have a 3:40 BQ time (56/male). The goal race is the Louisiana Marathon on Jan. 20. This will be my first marathon. Wish me luck.

                Hi everyone! Thanks for responding. I wasn't sure how many people we'd get, but glad to have some company in pursuit of the sub 3:45 goal, and maybe more will come on board, too.

                 

                runlikeagirl: I live intown and do most of my training on terrain fairly similar to the course. Will probably do some runs actually on parts of the course. So I'm hoping that will help in the preparation, but you're probably right that whatever time I run here, I can probably do better somewhere flatter.

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

                  So I'll join in too. My first marathon was Wichita in 2006. I went out way too fast running a 7:10 for the first mile, a 1:40:00 for the firts half and then running a 2 hour second half. Talk about bad pacing. However, I ran a PR at 3:39:59!!

                   

                  I've ran 6 marathons and two ultras since but can't match that first marathon.

                   

                  I'm training for a 3:45 marathon in 2013 but have not decided on which. I'm in the Raleigh, NC area and don't wish to travel. The problem is the local marathons are in mid-March and I'd prefer another month to train.

                   

                  My plan is not what any real coach may approve, running 4-6 days a week at basically MP.

                   

                  We'll see how it goes.

                    dpar, welcome! Let me know when you decide on a race and I'll add it.

                     

                    Hope our January racers are feeling good.

                     

                    I've added my self-designed training plan into my log, so it's there if anyone wants to have a look and offer comment/suggestions. Some of the days just say interval or tempo at this point, have not added the details of the particular workouts just yet. This time I'm doing the Saturday runs with the official training group for the Georgia Marathon, because of another running group I'm involved with--so I basically designed a training plan based around those.

                     

                    I ran a 4 mile recovery run in the rain. Legs are a little tired and sore, but I think that was just what they needed. Happy running, everyone! And Happy New Year!

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

                    doctorjen


                      I'd like to nervously step in here (nervously only because it means admitting the goal out loud!)  I mostly hang out with the sub-2 half group, but I'm training for a spring full with 3:45 (my BQ) as a goal, so it'd be nice to hear from some folks with similar goals.  This will be marathon #4 for me.  The first 3 were Chicago 2008 (5:01:45), Kansas City 2011 (4:25:44), and Twin Cities 2012 (3:53:21).  Although I've had pretty big PRs the last 2 times, I'm feeling like I'm getting close to my max potential here.

                      I'm planning to run the Garmin marathon in Olathe, Kansas on April 20, 2013.  I'm using Pfitz 18/55 (which I also used for Twin Cities) although I like to run 6-7 days a week so I end up adding some miles.  The first 2 marathons I trained with less milage, and more of a "just get the long run in" focus.  I'm hoping just repeating Pfitz 18/55, but with a better base and more experience will be enough to give me another 8 minutes 22 seconds faster.  If not, I'll try again!

                      cbennett926


                      Trust Me, Im an Engineer

                        Hey all,

                         

                        I'm running the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in April!! My goal is to hit under 4, then under 3:45, and lastly BQ!!

                        Not all those who wander are lost - JRR Tolkien

                         

                          Hi doctorjen and cbennett!

                           

                          doctorjen, I've had the same thought about being pretty close to my max potential. Of course maybe I'm wrong, and I just need to shake up the training--but I don't think I'm as likely to make the really big improvements from one race to the next like I was making. But I want to keep trying!

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

                            Hey everybody, I have run about a dozen marathons and still looking to improve.  I didn't run a marahon in2012 and trying to get back in the groove.. My PR is 3:51 was at Bayshore (Traverse City) in 2008.  I am doing a local marathon in the spring (Carmel, IN) with goal to break 3:45 in fall.

                            doctorjen


                              Finished week 3 of Pfitz 18/55 today with a 15 miles long run.  54.7 miles total this week.  I just sat with the calendar today and figured out that my work/call schedule does not line up great with this training cycle.  The plan at the moment is to get through one run at a time!

                              They finally published the course for the marathon I'm running and it looks reasonable.  Some rolling hills or gentle inclines, but not too hilly.  I live in a hilly subdivision so don't really mind some hills.

                              whodateverything


                                Finished week 3 of Pfitz 18/55 today with a 15 miles long run.  54.7 miles total this week.  I just sat with the calendar today and figured out that my work/call schedule does not line up great with this training cycle.  The plan at the moment is to get through one run at a time!

                                They finally published the course for the marathon I'm running and it looks reasonable.  Some rolling hills or gentle inclines, but not too hilly.  I live in a hilly subdivision so don't really mind some hills.

                                 

                                Wow, 3 weeks into the program and you've already reached the peak mileage (55) of the program. What a beast!