Forums >Racing>Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon
I must admit at the moment I've only got the one 10k 5 weeks before the marathon and a 5k in 2 weeks from now. It's really hard to find suitable races in London (10k, 10m, 1/2 marathons) which is crazy really considering it's a Capital City! We get the London Marathon (not that you can get a place very easily), but have a big lack of regular 10ks and halves during the summer.
I'll have to dig a bit deeper as there may be some smaller local races that are not advertised via Runnersworld.
Cheers All.
Although our club courses aren't certified, they have all been wheel measured and there are 4 track races, 2 each at 1 mile and 5k. . There is also a digital timer at the finish and all results are published on web site along with equivalent times charts and 42 years worth of records from races run on their courses. Not a bad deal for 20 bucks a year.
Thanks Guys.
RW for the UK actually does cover the majority of small races as well as the bigger ones.
But I'm sure I can find some more races with a bit of effort! I've got a trail race possibility I've found and some open track meets too, which would be a new experience for me - I might event get the christen some spikes I bought on a whim a few months ago!
http://www.runtrackdir.com/ukclubs/
Last year I ran the Fairlands Valley Challenge Marathon in Stevenage http://www.races.fvspartans.org.uk/. They also had some shorter races along with it (a 12 and an 18 mile). Anyway the race was a little wierd but it was a lot of fun to run as an easy long run.
They give you a 4 page set of directions telling you what the course is and send you off. At each rest stop you had to get your card punched to show you made it to that station. I didn't bring my glasses to the race and so I would have gotten hopelessly lost if I tried to run on my own so I just went along with a group of four or five others at the front of start time. It was a lot of fun, we ran through many fields and along a lot of hedgerows and had to climb over an awful lot of fences but what a wonderful way to see the English countryside. It was my slowest ever marathon [3:37] but it was a really enjoyable easy long run.
Thanks Jim!
Hopefully it will lead to something good. Of the 9 races I have scheduled between now and Oct marathon, 6 of them are of club variety. Although I usually run hard in them it's not quite the same as putting on a number. They are more like hard workouts and there is also less pressure to do well. And because they are short and on Saturday it leaves room for a long, easy run on Sunday.
Last year I ran the Fairlands Valley Challenge Marathon in Stevenage http://www.races.fvspartans.org.uk/. They also had some shorter races along with it (a 12 and an 18 mile). Anyway the race was a little wierd but it was a lot of fun to run as an easy long run. They give you a 4 page set of directions telling you what the course is and send you off. At each rest stop you had to get your card punched to show you made it to that station. I didn't bring my glasses to the race and so I would have gotten hopelessly lost if I tried to run on my own so I just went along with a group of four or five others at the front of start time. It was a lot of fun, we ran through many fields and along a lot of hedgerows and had to climb over an awful lot of fences but what a wonderful way to see the English countryside. It was my slowest ever marathon [3:37] but it was a really enjoyable easy long run.
Cheers for this spinach, I saw this one while I was searching around, I'll check it out. Sounds a bit bonkers, but fun!
& thanks again for the advice Jim. Cheers.
Well, race day is on Sunday and I need some last minute advice from my fellow sub-3:00 hopefuls and graduates!
Weather is not forecast to be ideal this Sunday. Looks like it will be about 65 – 70 F during the race with humidity likely around 70%. Therefore, I’m not sure that a 3:00 marathon is in the cards for me this time around as I haven’t had to time to acclimate to this heat that we’ve recently seen here and I haven’t done too much training in it. I know that I’m in shape to give 3:00 a serious shot on a day with ideal conditions, but I don’t think that’ll be the case on Sunday.
Never the less, I still want to give it my best effort and try to accomplish the goals I had set out for this race. They are, in order of importance:
a) Qualify for Boston (3:10:59; 7:17 pace)
b) Top 20 finish (will likely be around 3:05 to 3:07 based on prev. years and weather; 7:03 to 7:08 pace)
c) Sub-3:00 (6:52 pace)
So, given the weather conditions, I need a strategy that will definitely accomplish goal A; gives me a decent shot at goal b; and gives me an outside chance at c.
I know that I could just go out and run the BQ time without much difficulty, but I’d really like to put up the best time possible. So, any warm weather racing tips or pacing advice?
Sorry, I have no tips to give. Apart from the fact I think there is no strategy that will definitely accomplish Goal A !
But I will be first to wish the weekend runners good luck:
johnmaas - 06/20/09 Grandma's, Duluth MN
Spinach - 06/20/09 Grandmas, Duluth MN
John
a) Qualify for Boston (3:10:59; 7:17 pace)b) Top 20 finish (will likely be around 3:05 to 3:07 based on prev. years and weather; 7:03 to 7:08 pace)c) Sub-3:00 (6:52 pace) So, given the weather conditions, I need a strategy that will definitely accomplish goal A; gives me a decent shot at goal b; and gives me an outside chance at c.
if you run the first half at 3:10 pace, you are pretty much making sub 3 impossible (as i expect a 1:25 half would be PR/near PR half as a standalone race, let alone after a 1:35 half in hot weather!), so i think given your priorities and the need to definitely get a BQ you need to let that go.
i think B is possible - run the first half in 1:35 and then see how you are doing with the heat. a 1:31-1:32 second half is possible if you are handling it well.
good luck!
Maybe "definitely" is too strong a word! What i mean is that I need a stratgey that, given the heat, allows me a shot at running say 3:03 or 3:05 but leaves enough romm for error that if I have to back off, I can still finish in BQ time.
Basically, the heat is throwing my thinking off! I want to run a good first half or first 20 that puts me in position for a solid time, but isn't so suicidal that I potentially crach and don't even hit 3:10.
Alan -- I'm slowly letting go of 3:00 for this race, but it's tough! Thanks for the advice...sounds like a good idea.
Good luck and base your goal on the race day conditions...
Well, race day is on Sunday and I need some last minute advice from my fellow sub-3:00 hopefuls and graduates! Weather is not forecast to be ideal this Sunday. Looks like it will be about 65 – 70 F during the race with humidity likely around 70%. Therefore, I’m not sure that a 3:00 marathon is in the cards for me this time around as I haven’t had to time to acclimate to this heat that we’ve recently seen here and I haven’t done too much training in it. I know that I’m in shape to give 3:00 a serious shot on a day with ideal conditions, but I don’t think that’ll be the case on Sunday. Never the less, I still want to give it my best effort and try to accomplish the goals I had set out for this race. They are, in order of importance: a) Qualify for Boston (3:10:59; 7:17 pace) b) Top 20 finish (will likely be around 3:05 to 3:07 based on prev. years and weather; 7:03 to 7:08 pace) c) Sub-3:00 (6:52 pace) So, given the weather conditions, I need a strategy that will definitely accomplish goal A; gives me a decent shot at goal b; and gives me an outside chance at c. I know that I could just go out and run the BQ time without much difficulty, but I’d really like to put up the best time possible. So, any warm weather racing tips or pacing advice?
For me those weather conditions are @ 4 minutes - Mostly because I have a high sweat rate and will be fairly dehydrated by the end.
It sounds like the BQ is the most important thing, so I will base my advice off of that.
I would shoot for 1:34:00 1st half - Stay really relaxed and calm - I do not want to hear any, oops I ran a 6:4x. It should feel smooth and easy to 20. About mile 15 if it still feels too easy, start increasing pace / effort level slowly, bye mile 20 you can be @ 7:00 pace - Then continue the relaxed - smooth increase in pace to the end. Maybe like a 1:34 / 1:32 1st / 2nd hald split.
If you never feel like increasing pace, just keep being focussed on smooth and confortable and pull a 1:34 / 1:34 even split.
Good running to you!
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !