2013 Sub-3:45 Marathon Goal Thread (Read 1005 times)

    I've been a slacker about getting back here to update my results. My goal for my March race was sub-3:55 and I fell a little short of that due to crappy pacing, felt a little too good in the first half and broke off from the pacers early on, then got a little carried away. I had stupidly forgot to find the satellites before the start, causing my watch to be off a bit, but long story short, I just should have stayed with the pacers, they passed me around 21-22 and I finished in 3:56:14 after fading badly the last few miles. Now I'm going to focus on getting faster for my fall race, but I may plan to wait for a chance at a flatter race in December to go after the 3:45. Will have to see how things unfold. Right now, also working on dropping some excess weight. I've lost between 3-4 lbs since the marathon and need to drop about 8 more to get back to my PR shape.

     

    runlikeagirl, I will add your race. Smile

    PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

    GabrielleB


      Just qualified for Boston with a 3:39:56.  I needed 3:45:00. I've been running fast lately this was my desired goal. Just glad everything fell in place on race day (sore calves resolved, PERFECT weather, no girl issues to bum my run, friends and family out to support). I tried to run smart and steady. I faded a bit the last few miles, but only 30-40 seconds or so and I was well ahead of the pace group most of the way. So happy I could cry.

       

      Smile

      snapa55


        Just qualified for Boston with a 3:39:56.  I needed 3:45:00. I've been running fast lately this was my desired goal. Just glad everything fell in place on race day (sore calves resolved, PERFECT weather, no girl issues to bum my run, friends and family out to support). I tried to run smart and steady. I faded a bit the last few miles, but only 30-40 seconds or so and I was well ahead of the pace group most of the way. So happy I could cry.

         

        Smile

         

        Congrats!!!

        5K: 18:43 (12/13) 10K: 42:50 (12/12) HM: 1:30:10 (3/14) M: 3:34:46 (5/14)

        runlikeagirI


          Any updates from the past couple of months? Hope to hear some good news!

           

          PS - I've changed my qualifying attempt from TCM to Sioux Falls.. in 26 days... Shocked   (9/8)

          sbpbrent


          Ludwig Classic Maple

            I have a couple questions.  At Steamboat Marathon last June, my goal was to break 4:00.  At the start, a woman was telling me that if I wanted to break 4:00, I needed to be at 20 miles in 3:00.  I had never heard that before, but I was at 20 miles in about 3:01:30 and I finished in a net of 4:01:24.  At Mt Sneffels in August, I hit 20 miles in 3:00:38 and finished in 3:57:59.  It seems like what this woman told me was fairly accurate.

             

            Has anyone heard of this 20 miles in 3 hours to break 4 hours "rule" before? If so, is there a similar rule (20 miles in 2:??) for a marathon goal of 3:45?  If there is, I am guessing if there is one, it would be about 2:50.

            Marathon PR: 3:25:35 Fall Classic, 2014

            1/2 Marathon PR: 1:35:59, Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon, 2014

             

            doctorjen


               

              Has anyone heard of this 20 miles in 3 hours to break 4 hours "rule" before? If so, is there a similar rule (20 miles in 2:??) for a marathon goal of 3:45?  If there is, I am guessing if there is one, it would be about 2:50.

               

              4 hour marathon pace is roughly 9:09 per mile.  20 miles at 9:09 pace is 3:03.  Being at 20 miles in 3 hours puts you just under pace, I guess giving you a little room to fade.

              A 3:45 marathon is roughly 8:35 pace.  20 miles at that pace is 2:51:45, so you'd be just ahead of pace if you hit 20 miles at 2:50.  I don't it's a "rule", it's just math.

              sbpbrent


              Ludwig Classic Maple

                Yes, you can't argue with the math.  I guess what I found interesting about the woman's "rule", was that she acted as if this were just common knowledge among marathoners.  I'd never heard of it, but it seemed to be spot on, at least from my experience.  I will try to hit 20 in 2:50 in the next one and see what happens. Smile

                Marathon PR: 3:25:35 Fall Classic, 2014

                1/2 Marathon PR: 1:35:59, Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon, 2014

                 

                  Sorry I haven't posted on here in a while, but here's an update. After my somewhat disappointing finish in March, I did not think I'd try for the sub-3:45 on Atlanta's hills this fall. I thought of maybe going for 3:50 and then looking for a flatter race a few months later. But I lost some extra weight, put in my best training ever these past few months, and set a new half PR on a pretty tough course on 10/6. So I will be running with the 3:45 pace group next Sunday. I know I'm going to be right on the bubble as far as being able to get under 3:45, so I'll have to be very disciplined early on, and not let race-day adrenaline carry me away like I did in March. But I feel like the memory of what happened in my last marathon is still etched pretty clearly in my mind. This is a much smaller race, so it will be interesting to see if that has any effect. Once again, I will have trained on pretty much all of the course, and I've run many of the tougher parts several times in various LRs. We will see how it goes..

                   

                  Any other updates?

                  PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09

                  cratur


                    Interesting reading.  Thanks to all contributors.  I am training for my first marathon.  I ran a lot when I was younger but never thought I could ever run a marathon because it was just too long.  So now I am attempting at age 52, to complete something I always wanted to do.  I have been training for months now and have 3 months until the Myrtle Beach Marathon Feb 15.  I chose that race because it is flat and fast.  My initial goal was to finish but as I have progressed in my training I had set my sights on sub4.  Now I am hoping sub 3:45 might be possible.  My long run to date is 15 at about 9 min pace.  I ran 10 this morning at 8:15.  The bulk of my long runs is yet to come over the next 2 months.  I feel I can definitely break 4 but want to shoot for the 3:45 mark.  Since I have never run a marathon, I was hoping for some advice.  Do you maintain the same pace throughout (8:35 in this case) hoping to have some left at the end?  Or run a bit slower trying to save some energy for the last few miles?