Forums >Racing>2017 Sub 3 Marathons...and beyond!
Copied from the user group after previously copying from that wretched place
tl;dr
Goals for 2017: (A) Stay injury free, (B) Sub 2:50 at Illinois.
2011 3:53:02 Detroit 600 miles total2012 -- -- 200 miles2013 -- -- 500 miles2014 -- -- 1200 miles2015 3:37:09 Ann Arbor2015 3:43:47 Martian/Dearborn2015 3:06:47 Twin Cities 2340 miles2016 3:01:38 Bayshore 3260 miles
2017 2:49:26 Illinois ~2350 ytd
The Ugly Details
I'm a 36yr old Irish expat living in Michigan. I had never run prior to a few years back. I've always been active growing up primarily through playing soccer. My first running experience was a relay marathon with some work colleagues back in 2007. This sowed the seed but I didn't start running in any way seriously until after I injured my rotator cuff preventing me playing soccer, and thus in 2010 I started running with a work buddy. Things progressed from there through a couple 10k and 1/2s where I finally decided to do a marathon motivated by the impending doom of my 30th year. My first marathon was in 2011 (Detroit), where I death marched to a 3:52 off the back of 30 mpw and suffered entire gamut of running 101 injuries.
I ran intermittently in the meantime but primarily went back to playing soccer. Tried to make a go at running again in 2013 but was hampered by a nagging hamstring injury, probably running 500 miles. I went to see a physio to get it sorted or at least managed and got back into things slowly in 2014. Things were going well and I had planned on and was in shape for ~3:15 before injuring my calf in September. Bagged the rest of the year. I ran ~1200 miles.
Of course when I got back into things at the start of 2015, all the muscles/ligaments on my lower left leg were weak and I got dinged with a scary case of achilles tendinopathy. After a gazillion heel drops and lots gym biking I got around to being able to run marathons 2/3 in the spring 3:37/3:43 (I had payed for these when pissed off in the autumn with my calf injury) and was frankly delighted to be finally able to run again even if it was slow as fudge. Continued on a custom plan over the summer and managed to do 3:06 at TCM off the back of ~65 mpw (82 max) average over the preceding 12 weeks. This was the first time I had specifically included quality sessions (mostly mile and 5k repeats) and I was happy with the results. I ran 2340 miles in 2015.
Last year I decided to do a specific plan (Daniels 1q every 4-5 days) and really upped my mileage as I had reacted well to a few high = mileage test weeks. My plan went pretty well and although I was beaten up by the end of it I felt like I was in low 2:50s shape, with a shot at 2:50 if things went to plan. Unfortunately, the weather was not so good with very high humidity forecast. As I'd sunk so much time in I felt I really needed to know what this training had done to me and decided to go for it. I felt good at 1/2 way but limped home to a +10 min split in 3:01. Que sera. Spent the rest of 2016 working on shorter stuff and dinged my the ankle ligaments on my left foot. So a few weeks rest and then back at a slow build to where I am now... week 6/18 on a Daniels 2Q plan.
I run in Mizuno Sayonara/Hitogami as pretty much anything else I've tried leads to achillesville.
Update: Nailed sub2:50 at Illinois in April. I almost got sub60 at the Crim 10 miler but a crappy build-up week cost me on raceday. I'm skipping the autumn marathon cycle and instead focussing on trying for sub78 at the Philly HM in November. Onwards!
5k: 17:32 (11/18) -- 10k: 38:47 (07/17) -- 10m: 60:23 (08/17) -- 1/2: 1:22:32 (11/17) -- full: 2:49:26 (04/17)
2020 Goals: Assault on 2:40! Next up: Toledo (Apr 26)
Quick intro
- 39 years old male
- married, two girls aged 6 and 9
- live in greater Wellington, New Zealand
- first name Chris
- Been running since 2011. Been reasonably consistent apart from a few injuries, plus a few periods where life got in the way.
- Have ran one marathon in June 2015. Paced poorly and ran 3:09, with a 1:30/1:39 split, Could have managed 3:06 that day with better pacing.
- I've concentrated mainly on the half, with my PRs slowly coming down. Right now at 1:26:16, from a year ago.
- The last 3 months have been moderately good marathon training. A combination of weather and life getting in the way has meant one 71 mile week, quite a few 60-64 miles weeks, and a few less.
- Goal marathon is 8 October, so just over one week. Aim is 2:59:59
I guess I'm the first race for the RunningAhead Sub 3 Marathon thread. My marathon is this Sunday, long range forecast is good.
My second to last week before my full is done. My hill run was a PR.
Felt a little sluggish Wed-Sat, although I think my Saturday run's striders helped for Sunday.
Sunday run went well, 5km easy then 15km like I want the first 15km of my full - start out below pace for the first 15km so at that point be 60-90s behind even pace, and then hopefully speed up...
This week will be 44km / 27 miles, + race.
<tfoot> </tfoot>
PRs: 5km 18:43 (Dec 2015), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:26:16 (Sep 2016), full 3:09:28 (Jun 2015)
40+ PRs: 5km 19:31 (Oct 2020), 10km 39:59 (Sep 2020), half 1:29:39 (Jun 2018), full 3:13:55 (Sep 2022)
2023 PRs (hope to beat in 2024): 5km 20:34, 10km 41:37, half 1:32:32, full 3:21:05
2024 PRs: 5km 20:25
Also:Kram, Jay & Weather - great weeks.Mark, Andre & JMac - good weeks.
Cheers for getting this back up and running Andreas! Good luck in the half marathon. It's the perfect test distance, in that there's only so much damage you can do by going out too hard...
Weatherboy: That MP pace run is a great way to start off your cycle.
Jayluf: You're in really good shape for sub3. Make sure to take a few extra easy days with your racing over the next 2 weekends.
JMAC: Another who is looking good for sub3. Given all I've read about NYC, sub3 there is easily worth 2:55 on a flat course.
Philly HM, Week 07/12:M 01 27 13 10.0 w/ 6x100m stridesT 00 43 19 5.18 W 01 21 34 10.7 tm w/ 3wu + 6x1k@5:21pace + 2cd, 0.5%, rec: 3mins jog, HR ~< 140 @60s/60s/60s/70s/80s/80s Th 01 18 45 11.0 tm w/ 3wu + 6x1mi@5:49 + 4x200@12.4mph + 1cd, rec: 60s static, 200@6mph F 01 08 40 8.35 S 01 22 34 10.28 shoulder/rotator/ac(l) inflamed like hell after S 01 00 00 15.4 @gym bike(s) shoulder/rotator/ac(l) ==== 55.51 + 15.4 bike
Good week, at least to start with. Very happy with the W/Th quality sessions. I've mile interval pace repeats for this Wed, which should hurt plenty.
On the other hand, my weekend was a bloody disaster. I had some lingering mild shoulder/neck pain on Thur/Fri and Sat morning. No biggie at all. Went for a 10 mile easy run with no discomfort at all. Got home and within 30mins, my shoulder started complaining and poking around with my finger revealed my ac joint to be on fire... wtf! I think this is all related to a rotator cuff injury years back. Here, I partially tore my rotator cuff when I was running at full pelt playing soccer and got cleaned out crashing into the 100F baked concrete-hard soil. Nowadays, the same thing apparently happens while sleeping. Getting old sucks hairy sweaty balls
This was pretty annoying as I was looking fwd to running a half on Sunday which ended up being won in 1:21... bah. Seeing all the great racing that happened over the weekend didn't help either. I'm going to find something to chop up and sacrifice to the spaghetti monster in order to ward off further nonsense prior to Philly. Swelling has gone down now with loads of icing, so I'm hoping I can get back to running instead of static bike crap tomorrow.
Good luck, another who's put together a solid consistent sub3 worthy cycle. Be sure to post tracking info. etc., later in the week.
Copying my intro here in our new location:
Jon from western CT, 42 years old, married, 13 year old son. Lots of animals in our house: 1 dog and 5 cats. I ran track and XC in HS and college (division 3 school, slow people like me could join the team ), and was hooked on it, but after college ran very little for about 15 years. I started back up in 2013 and ran my first marathon in 2014 (3:16). I steadily increased mileage and brought my time down each year (3:06, 2:57), then the PR streak got buggered at Boston this year (3:13). I'm hoping I can go sub-2:55 at Hartford (Oct. 14). Not entirely sure what to expect, as this cycle has been my biggest in terms of mileage, and has had decent quality runs by my standards, but I had a real turd of a tune-up half marathon a few weeks ago and thus my confidence is not as high as I would like.
Here is my last week. The annual 5k race where I work was on a brutally hot/humid day and thus I took it easy. The weather finally cooled off by Friday and it was great running in 40 deg F temps (sorry Weatherboy, not trying to gloat ) . For Sunday's 18 miler I didn't need any fluids; only a circle of sweat on my shirt after it was done, compared with being totally drenched, drinking >2 liters of liquids and still losing 6-7 lbs after most long runs this summer.
This week I'll taper down to about 45 miles, then next week next to nothing as my race will be Saturday the 14th.
2:52:16 (2018)
Andrew here from New Zealand 49 years old, 4 kids, married, started at 42. Ran 2 marathons at 45 and 46 years old 2.59 ( 2013 ) and 2.54 ( 2014 )
Have never quite rekindled my enthusiasm and therefore lower mileage and slower times right now. In about 18.30 5k shape right now. Enjoying the fitness that running brings and been able to drink beer without getting fat
My week done. some good climbing over 1000m and a solid 8k tempo
Watson game time already ! Have a great race. Our new Tauranga International Marathon is also on this sunday.
Andres thanks for starting this. I think its a bit easier to find now.
Good to read everyones intros again and see familiar faces.
Im not really training for a marathon but can help with the thread turnover with meaningless banter etc and this thread helps motivate me to keep running.
55+ PBs 5k 18:36 June 3rd TT
" If you don't use it you lose it, but if you use it, it wears out.
Somewhere in between is about right "
RIP Milkman
Without that wonderful spreadsheet, I'm lost as to where people are in terms of their tapers/races!
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
http://web.archive.org/web/20170928045649/http://community.runnersworld.com/
A way to go back to the old forum if needed for anything.
The archives have limitations.
JT - nice week. Good idea not going too hard in the 5k. I've only had one race which was really hard hot, which was a 5k which I started at normal race pace, but blew up bad, 4th km was 4:30. Ended scraping a 19:59.
Piwi - thanks.
Kram - this is as small event, no tracking. There is probably less than 10 races in New Zealand with live tracking. And the Wairarapa Country Marathon is definitely not one of them.
Mmmm Bop
Greetings from Brighton, UK....I’m 51yo and have been running for 10 years. I’ve run 34 marathons to date which have included some of the majors...London, NYC, Berlin...and some low key ones such as Guernsey and Isle of Man! I’ve also been a pacer 4 times at my local marathon which has always been a great experience! My A goal before hanging up my running shoes is to win a Moose Mug (2 hours+age) which would mean Sub 2:52 next Spring. I’ll be running London for the 8th year in a row so hopefully that will be the race! My next race is Amsterdam on 15th October and I’ve focused more on quality runs/strength training with less mileage this cycle because endurance has always been better than my speed. I’m hoping this race will give me a better indication of what I need to work/focus on next Spring.
Great weeks posted!
Andres - Thanks once again for setting the thread up!
Watson - Good luck at the weekend! What is your race again and is there tracking?
Finbad - I read your user group post. Excellent half!!!
Kram - Sorry to hear about the shoulder!
My week...
Tue - 11 treadmill. W/3x5k@6:21 (3min rec)
Wed - 12 @7:35
Fri - 9 easy
Sat - 6 easy
Sun - 15 treadmill. W/2x10k@6:39 (4min rec)
Total - 53
I ended up wimping out of my planned 10k race at the weekend as it was raining with 35mph gusts of wind. It was’t local so I decided to hit the treadmill instead. I’m going to run my local 5k Parkrun this Saturday. Sub19 or bust! (and I’m not joking)
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Hey sub3! ... just stopping by to see if squirrel (or squirrell ) was posting yet.
Hey sub3!
... just stopping by to see if squirrel (or squirrell ) was posting yet.
Hopefully Dingo and Strugglr will make it over! (separately or together)
Mikkey - Wairarapa Country Marathon. Very small event, no tracking.
Waston - I saw over in Strava you did a 14+ mile run with 3 miles at MP. I'm surprised you're running that much with less than a week to go to your marathon, especially with having done 12 with 7 at mp just the day before. Just curious to your thinking, as I start thinking about my own taper!
Andres - I find that 5 days a week is best for me mentally. Physically, I could probably run 7 days a week, but there's something about having 2 days off that makes me both excited and anxious to get back out there. I could probably run 6 days a week during tough training sections (and certainly if I start pushing 70+ in my next marathon cycle), but I like the Daniels allows me to run 5 days a week.
Kram - The NYC course is exactly why I'm telling myself just to go out at 2:59 pace! One day, I'll have to run a marathon on one of these flat courses just to see what I have, but I don't have any in the plans (NYC again next year most likely as I have the time qualifier).
JT - Your comment about no water reminded me of something I was thinking about. Is it better to run continually on those long runs, or is it better to get water even if you don't feel thirsty? I feel like it may not matter, but when temps are in the low 60's I'm never sure whether I really need the water or not in a non race situation.
Mikkey - If you can run 3x5K on a treadmill at 6:20 pace, you better break 19! You should be threatening your PR with that type of workout, although I understand you really haven't gotten much speed work in.
Andres: Thanks for all the organizational work, and nice looking week. Good luck on the half.
JMac: Nice week, that long run looks really strong. Regarding the water on runs, I think like many things it varies a lot from person to person. I know for myself, I can get away with nothing for a 20 mile run in the winter, whereas during warm/hot weather, I need to have water during my long runs. I sweat like a pig, and even with taking up to 48 oz of liquids during a 22 mile run, I still will lose >5 lbs. Until you figure out your body's hydration needs in different temps it's probably best to play it safe and err on the side of drinking.
Jayluf: Strong looking week, especially that 12 at MP. You are looking strong for CIM. Good luck on the 10 miler, I think sub-62 is definitely within reach for you.
Mark: Great job on that 2k time trial! 6:30 is a good mile time let alone 2000m. You've got some serious speed! Also a strong long run.
Weatherboy: 71 miles with a lot of high quality; you are getting off to a great start for your cycle!
Watson: Solid week and good luck this Sunday. You've had a good cycle and I think sub 3 is definitely in the cards.
Kram: You've had some killer speed workouts of late; sub 78 should be a cakewalk for you at Philly. I hope the neck/shoulder business is resolved.
Piwi: You're the 8k tempo king! Seriously though, that one looked really good, progressively faster. Nice climbing on that 20k as well.
Mikkey: Nice monster TM workouts! Good luck on the Parkrun.
Finbad: Congrats on the half; that is incredible given the conditions and stopping to take a leak during the race.
Not sure if he will post here but Dan B ran sub 3 at Cologne, 2:59:30 with very even pacing. Nice job Dan!