Sub 3:00 Marathon Training Plan? (Read 258 times)

3-4 mile days make it difficult to get that weekly average up to the 50+ mile range.

3-4 mile days make it difficult to get that weekly average up to the 50+ mile range.

+1.  If you are running 50 mile weeks with a 20 miler, your long run is 40% of your weekly mileage which IMO is too high of a percentage.  I've used both Pfitz 18/70 and Hanson's Advanced plan.  Pfitz has long runs around 20 miles on a 70 mile week so your long run is 25-28% of your weekly volume.  Hanson's has a max long run of 16 on a week of 55 miles so again 28-30% of the weekly mileage.  While there are a million programs for training, I'd try to find a way to make your long run a smaller share of your total mileage.  If you can't get in more than 50-55 miles a week, I'd say do Pfitz 18/55 or Hanson Brooks and know the last ten miles of the marathon will be unchartered territory and therefore a gamble.

Hal Higdon's training plans have a place, training to run a sub-3 is not really one of them.

+1

i'm not familiar with those other plans, could you please provide some links? Thanks!

Hal Higdon's training plans have a place, training to run a sub-3 is not really one of them.

 

If you are capable of running a sub-3 off of his plans, you are very likely (I'd say 95%) able to handle the training of a Hanson's Intermediate, or a Pfitz plan with higher mileage than the Higdon plan, and those other plans would be able to prepare you for a significantly faster marathon.  If you have the time to dedicate to the mileage (since you're going for sub-3 I'm expecting you're giving this some kind of priority) and sub-3 is a realistic goal, you should probably look at a more intense training plan.

i'm not familiar with those other plans, could you please provide some links? Thanks!

I'd recommend picking up the books.  Reading through them to understand why you're doing something will always help.

Pfitz 18/55 18/70

Hanson's Intermediate requires a bit more thought and reading, they don't have the workouts defined as specifically as Pfitz does.  They say speed or strength, and you've got to read a bit to understand what they're talking about.

Pete's Advanced Thong

i'm not familiar with those other plans, could you please provide some links? Thanks!

I'm liking this new feisty Mikey. Between this and your vdot battle you are on a roll!

 

If you can't google Pfitzinger or Hansons then you may not have the mental fortitude to run a sub 3 hour marathon.

 

Ik,r? Didn't get much sleep last night I guess.

I got some pillz for that