Forums >Racing>Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon
Jim, I would say you are definitely ready for a sub 3 hour marathon based on your awesome 1:24:09 half marathon performance last week! Congratulations.
King of Sparta
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Hello all, Just looking for some expert advice on what sort of major mistakes I am doing in training. I have done 26 marathons over last 10 years and am now almost 43 years old. I just ran my PR of 3:06:14 in rain at twin cities marathon. I am capable of 1:25 1/2 marathon for a basis of what speed I currently have. What litttle I have that is. I have been getting better as I have entered my 40s. Leading up to twin cities my last several weeks of training I did the following before a 2 week taper. I did similar weeks but with 24s, 22, 20 in 2 week pattern working up to 26s. M - 4miles @ 6:30 pace T - 12miles @ 6:30 pace W - 4miles @ 6:30 pace Th - 10miles @ 6:30 pace Fr - 2miles @ 8:00 pace S - 26miles about 3hrs 15-20min finish time Sun - rest. I know its boring to some but I feel comfortable doing this. What I really need is some feedback on how bad this kind of "not really knowing what I'm doing training" could possibly prevent me from breaking 3hr marathon. I usually do 1/2 Ironman tri in august so I swim and bike but just till about2-3 months before I ramp up to the above. Next year I am thinking of not doing tri but still swin and bike. It seems to help keep me injury free last several years. Any feedback appreciated.
Jim - I am in the "on-deck circle" feeling confident are relaxed. Ready to stare down at my opponent and get a hit for our sub 3:00 team. Of course I realize that my most feared opponent is myself. Here's to Busiman, DCV2002 and myself - May we have fair seas and following winds! Let's all run a smart race, except a high level of pain, be safe and have fun!
Non-Stroller-Still Crazy
I'd like to sign up please! My current PB is 3:00:26 (or 2:59:86 as I like to think of it). Based on my 10 mile and half marathon times, I should be well under three hours, but it's never quite worked out like that yet. I'll be running in Dublin, Ireland on the 27th October, so I'm hoping for a nice spell of good weather starting soon.
To be very blunt, it is not possible that you could run those training paces and not have run any faster than a 3:06 marathon in 26 tries. That 12-miler on Tuesday is 1:25 half-marathon pace!
Hey, Jim actually it would be possible if he is running his workouts at half marathon race pace. I would be absolutely destroyed after those workouts if I could even complete them at all. I know I am guilty of running my workouts WAYYY too fast but his sound ridiculous.
Travis; Maybe you could run a half-marathon race in training but I sure couldn't and don't know many who could. Running some mile reps at HM pace and running a 12-mile run at that pace are 2 entirely different things. Now when you add 4 more days at the same pace it borders on the..uh, well....impossible.