Sub 3 (Read 71 times)

I have been using RunningAHEAD for about 10 years now for logging my runs. Every now and then I would post, but mainly read in various forums. Today I am posting about reaching the sub 3hr marathon milestone. I am not sure now what got me started on the quest, reading about folks attempting the feat on these forums might have played a part. The first goal I set was a sub 20 min 5km around 2010. Following that I ran my first marathon in 3.28 in 2014. Followed by 3.12 in 2015, 3.02.56 in 2016. Then a year off with knee issues 2017. Next a 3.00.07 in 2018. And now I have managed to get under 3, running 2.58.53. I put the improvement down to persistence over a number of years and following the principle of mostly easy running, with some harder efforts here and there. Each of the last 3 marathon training cycles were 18 weeks based on Pfitzingers over 85 miles plans. This year I did 2500 km in the 125 days pre race, average of about 5.10 per km. with 10 runs of 20 miles and over and more of 24 to 26km as well. So average weekly was about 150km, and 4 weeks of 170km at peak. I performed 5 marathon paced runs. 3 of these were local half marathons where I ran marathon pace of 4.15 per km and practiced gels, water stations and running with the pace groups. Happy to get this done now, it felt like I was running out of time, although improving I am of course getting older, now 58 years. Anyway, yay for me it is a dream come true to achieve such a time. And yay for RunningAHEAD, an integral part of my training as well as being great fun to visit at any time.

I am also 58 and very impressed with your sub 3

Thanks guys I appreciate your not unsolicited comments :-) If one is ever going to milk an achievement for all its worth this is the one!! Hey Stadjak, yeah, member of the club!! BTW I went back to re-read your Tobacco Road marathon sub 3 race report ...what a great read! And a great sub 3 given the circumstances, and trail mara to boot! Yeah weeks and weeks of training why does it always seem to come down to the potty and the weather on the day :-) ...and I agree that as someone commented at the time that a 30 second stop and drop was pretty handy!!