Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon (Read 15845 times)

Jim, you will bounce back even stronger....Training update for me,  did a little speed session in the spring early summer and ran a 17:13 and 16:50 5K then started marathon training.  Everything was going good and then had another injury setback.  I ran down a mountain trail like an idiot and suffered a major shin split.  Milked it for about a month and then worked my way back up.  Just finished up my first 100 mile week, and think thing may be looking good for my sub 3 at the Marine Corps Marathon.  Good luck to everyone in thier training.

Well, after that long post about how perfectly setup and spaced my three races were to prep me for the marathon (10K, 10miler and 1/2 marathon) I get to Saturday evening wondering what time the 10K starts.  Go on-line and find out that the 10K I had planned to run in SF doesn't exist anymore!  I had scheduled this one a long time ago and I guess they must have changed their schedule or I screwed up and looked at the wrong year?  It's put on by a local, and well-respected, running club in SF(meaning it's not a mega or advertised event) so it's likely they changed the schedule.

 

Anyway, no other 10K's on Sunday but there was a 5K up in GG Park put on by the same group so, what the hell, I went up and ran the 5K.  Not too bad.  Ran it well and finished in 18:20 which is a 11 second PR at 5K.    KInda bittersweet knowing I could have really run a good 10K yesterday and I was really primed for it.  I was discouraged enough that at one point in mile 1 I seriously thought about stepping off the course to avoid the discomfort of a hard 5K and just going for a long run.  I'm glad I stuck it out!

 

It wasn't a complete disaster as I jogged the course as a warmup then after the race ran another 11 or so difficult, hilly miles to get in about 17 miles total including the race.  Hopefully, the effort helps me in my M training.

 

PS - Welcome to the thread and good luck, jordirio!

Nice 5k PR Ken, you seem to be flying at the moment.  What's the Target for the Marathon? - Sub 2:55 I guess!  You look good for it.

 

& +1, 5k's are evil.

 

And welcome jordirio, you look good for a sub 3 in March with the 10k & HM times.

 

 

 

Anyway, no other 10K's on Sunday but there was a 5K up in GG Park put on by the same group so, what the hell, I went up and ran the 5K.  Not too bad.  Ran it well and finished in 18:20 which is a 11 second PR at 5K.   

 

Good one! I can see that would be a little frustrating when you are all psyched up for a good 10k but on the other hand an 11 second 5k pr is a pretty good consolation prize. 18:20 is also well within sniffing distance of sub-18. I'm guessing that all those fast races you ran on the track this summer helped a lot with the speed.

John

From the data you show ... yes ... depending on the weather and your body that day.  If the taper goes well, you stay sharp and you get a good weather day ... 2:55 should be in the middle of a range of 2:52-2:58 depending on how you run the race. 

 

 

 

Now your asking!  If I'm honest I think I will be aiming for 2:55.  On the positive side I've had a good couple of months build up (averaging about 60 miles for 7 weeks) & a couple of good pointer sessions recently:

 

10 days ago: 1:01:43 for 10 miles  - this was a solo time trial I did to test my fitness which was at 95% for the 1st half to pretty much race effort for the second half.

 

2 days ago: 20 miles with 4 x 5k @ perceived MP which ended up about 6:32p for the MP sections.

 

But the 8 weeks before were only a bit over 40 mpw so I'm cautious to try and match up to where the 'dreaded' predictors would put me.

 

Feel free to comment!  In fact I'd appreciate a bit of feedback as to whether 2:55 is realistic.

I think 2:55 is a reasonable target especially since your last half marathon is a great indicator of what you may be able to run the marathon. McMillian shows 2:50:56 based on that last result(great result by the way!!!).     How did you feel after the 20 miler?    That may also give you an idea of where your MP should be. 

 

I'm trying to figure out the same thing right now with regards to MP for my October marathon.  Just did a 18 mile run with 14 miles at perceived MP based on my last 10K  result.  McMillian says I should be able to run 2:48:43(6:27) but that is based on a perfect day( for me, 45-50degrees with no wind)  I can dream.     I ended up running 6:31 pace for the 14 middle miles.  6:43 for the entire 18.  Didn't taper for run, I had a lot of miles the week prior to this run and legs felt heavy while running. I was a little tired but felt like if it was a race I could have gone further at that pace but not sure of how many miles.  Just don't know if my legs would cramp at sometime.  One part of me says to go after 2:53 or 2:54  and another part says 2:59:59 as I'm not getting any younger.  I'm told that Lakefront Marathon in Milwaukee is flat?  Dopple?   

 

 

 

Now your asking!  If I'm honest I think I will be aiming for 2:55.  On the positive side I've had a good couple of months build up (averaging about 60 miles for 7 weeks) & a couple of good pointer sessions recently:

 

10 days ago: 1:01:43 for 10 miles  - this was a solo time trial I did to test my fitness which was at 95% for the 1st half to pretty much race effort for the second half.

 

2 days ago: 20 miles with 4 x 5k @ perceived MP which ended up about 6:32p for the MP sections.

 

But the 8 weeks before were only a bit over 40 mpw so I'm cautious to try and match up to where the 'dreaded' predictors would put me.

 

Feel free to comment!  In fact I'd appreciate a bit of feedback as to whether 2:55 is realistic.

Wow, Roth Runner and flovesparko, you guys are flying right now! I bet you both go well under 3. How much under, I don't know. But low 2:50's certainly wouldn't surprise me.

 

And Ken, you now have some additional speed to add to your awesome endurance. You should have a great marathon as a result, I would think.

 

I love this time of year...

 

We will see Dakota!  The feet need to do the talking at this stage...

 

Congratulations on 10k by the way flovesparko, sub 36 is an awesome time - that really does put you in a great position for a very fast marathon.

Lakefront is not flat, but I would consider it an easy course ... not overly hilly and nothing steep ... except the downhill @ mile 24 to the lake is steepish.

 

If you run a smart race and do not get greedy you are set to run sub 2:50.  I ran it in 2006 and felt cruddy until the long (But not steep) hill at mile #7, that change of elevation is just what I needed to get in a groove. 

 

 http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/player/mplayer.html?PageID=35

 

The elevation map is misleading its not that hilly - Example - That spike at mile #25 - once you get down to the lake at mile #24 it is flat as a pancake.

 

Funny - I had just run a 36:46 beginning of August the year I ran 2:49:19 at Lakefront.  I think we will have a nice calm cool day for Lakefront this year ... you can settle into 6:27 pace for the 1st 20 miles and make your decision from there.

 

There should be a group of 2:50 people, but it did not materialize until Mile # 3 for me.

 

1st 1/2 = 1:24:59

2nd 1/2 = 1:24:20

 

Faster mile #24 = 6:19, slowest mile #4 6:36

 

I ran a smart and patient race that day - I am confident you can do the same!

 

Any specific questions - just ask

 

I think 2:55 is a reasonable target especially since your last half marathon is a great indicator of what you may be able to run the marathon. McMillian shows 2:50:56 based on that last result(great result by the way!!!).     How did you feel after the 20 miler?    That may also give you an idea of where your MP should be. 

 

I'm trying to figure out the same thing right now with regards to MP for my October marathon.  Just did a 18 mile run with 14 miles at perceived MP based on my last 10K  result.  McMillian says I should be able to run 2:48:43(6:27) but that is based on a perfect day( for me, 45-50degrees with no wind)  I can dream.     I ended up running 6:31 pace for the 14 middle miles.  6:43 for the entire 18.  Didn't taper for run, I had a lot of miles the week prior to this run and legs felt heavy while running. I was a little tired but felt like if it was a race I could have gone further at that pace but not sure of how many miles.  Just don't know if my legs would cramp at sometime.  One part of me says to go after 2:53 or 2:54  and another part says 2:59:59 as I'm not getting any younger.  I'm told that Lakefront Marathon in Milwaukee is flat?  Dopple?