Forums >Racing>Take me to the Next Level
So I am a 175lbs, 53 year old male who has a marathon PR of 3:27:32 qualifying for Boston in 2016.
I just completed the Mohawk-Hudson Marathon in 3:28:58 which should qualify me for Boston as a 55 year old in 2021.
Overall my running habits are bad; I do not stretch, warm up or weight train.
Any suggestions; What should I try or do If I want to try and break 3:25:00 next year?
Pace Prophet
Run more. (What's your average weekly mileage before taper? What's your 5k, 10k, half marathon recent times and PRs?)
So:
- Height?
- Age of Marathon Pr
- Years of running experience?
- Other distance Pr's, and age of those Pr's?
- Injury History?
- Your training details of mileage, regular run pace, easy run pace, workout types and frequency of those workouts?
- Whatever else you can tell us?
Without basic information, the advice you will receive will not be of value. Help me help you.
Are we there, yet?
Unless you have specific issues that require stretching, you're probably better off not stretching. Warm up is important and I'm surprised that you don't mention any symptoms like sore muscles, struggling during the first few miles of a run, etc.. A warm up can take many variations as long as it moves from very easy activity to more strenuous. It can start with walking, then jogging, moving into easy running, and finally hitting your workout pace. Light calisthenics will work too.
As far as specific workouts, without knowing what you do now, any suggestions are a shot in the dark. Frequency, intensity (pace), quantity, and type of quality workouts would be the minimum we'd need to know to make useful suggestions.
2023 Races:
04/15 - Alexander County 12-Hour
05/13 - Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 50K 06/16 - Six Days in the Dome 12-Hour
Mmmm Bop
I’m the same age as you and I don’t think that going from a 3:29 to 3:24 marathon will be that difficult if it’s a goal that you’re serious about.
Since turning 50 I’ve found that stretching and strength training has been beneficial for me...simply because it helps me stay injury free.
My advice to you? Lose a few Ibs and run more.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
join a running group, maybe even one with a coach, and utilize their input. Rad a book or two and work on one of the training plans.
In a nutshell, the most beneficial thing you can do to kick it up to the next level is to adopt an overall plan,. The suggestions above are a step in that direction.
That's maybe not the quick and easy answer you were looking for.
If you want a quick and easy one, well, run hills. Can't go wrong with working hills into your program (assuming you have a program),
#1 Stay uninjured. This might involve stretching, prehab, weight training. Visit a PT to find what imbalances are potential problems.
#2 Find a good training plan that you can follow and follow it.
#3 Believe in yourself.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Unless you have specific issues that require stretching, you're probably better off not stretching. Warm up is important and I'm surprised that you don't mention any symptoms like sore muscles, struggling during the first few miles of a run, etc.. A warm up can take many variations as long as it moves from very easy activity to more strenuous. It can start with walking, then jogging, moving into easy running, and finally hitting your workout pace. Light calisthenics will work too. As far as specific workouts, without knowing what you do now, any suggestions are a shot in the dark. Frequency, intensity (pace), quantity, and type of quality workouts would be the minimum we'd need to know to make useful suggestions.
I have had an Achilles problem in the past, but never had any muscle issues.
Average mileage before starting training is 25-30m
Had a few 50+ weeks before the start of taper, running my 20m long runs at 8:25 pace.
I do not race 5k or 10k races.
Average mileage before starting training is 25-30m Had a few 50+ weeks before the start of taper, running my 20m long runs at 8:25 pace. I do not race 5k or 10k races.
You may be running your long runs too fast if 3:27 truly represents your fitness.. What were the half-marathon splits in that marathon?
If you had a big positive split your true fitness is probably much faster than 3:27 and you only need to run a better executed race to get to 3:25 as long as you maintain the same fitness.
RIP Milkman
You didn't address the height question. 175 and 6'3 is good for marathon running. 175 and 5'9 is an issue (running issue, not normal health issue).
Mikkey hit the nail on the head most likely: just run more and lose weight (which usually happens naturally from just running more).
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Next Race: NYC Half (3/19)
You didn't address the height question. 175 and 6'3 is good for marathon running. 175 and 5'9 is an issue (running issue, not normal health issue). Mikkey hit the nail on the head most likely: just run more and lose weight (which usually happens naturally from just running more).
Yep, when an OP is vague then you just have to give the most basic and obvious answers.
You may be running your long runs too fast if 3:27 truly represents your fitness.. What were the half-marathon splits in that marathon? If you had a big positive split your true fitness is probably much faster than 3:27 and you only need to run a better executed race to get to 3:25 as long as you maintain the same fitness.
On the other hand, if you truly feel that 8:25 pace is easy for you, you probably have far more speed than endurance and need to run more miles. I went from a 3:29 to a 3:23 by increasing my average mpw over the 3 months ahead of my race from 49 (max week of 66) to 62 (max week of 68). Before running my 3:29, my fastest long run was 8:55 pace and most of them were slower than that. Before running my 3:23, my fastest LR was 8:25, but it was a specific hard LR with a large segment at 8:15-8:20; my other two 20M runs were at 8:58 and 8:42.
(The point is that you don't have to run your training runs fast to run a fast marathon. Also that pacing is important; running a 10k or half marathon 4-6 weeks out will help you determine that pacing.)
first 13.1m - 1:41:38
2nd 13.1m - 1:47:29
4m - 31:21
17.4m - 2:17:12
On the other hand, if you truly feel that 8:25 pace is easy for you, you probably have far more speed than endurance and need to run more miles. I went from a 3:29 to a 3:23 by increasing my average mpw over the 3 months ahead of my race from 49 (max week of 66) to 62 (max week of 68). Before running my 3:29, my fastest long run was 8:55 pace and most of them were slower than that. Before running my 3:23, my fastest LR was 8:25, but it was a specific hard LR with a large segment at 8:15-8:20; my other two 20M runs were at 8:58 and 8:42. (The point is that you don't have to run your training runs fast to run a fast marathon. Also that pacing is important; running a 10k or half marathon 4-6 weeks out will help you determine that pacing.)
5'10" ..... I'm also bald if that makes a difference?