2019 3:20, And Beyond (Read 444 times)

pepperjack


pie man

    Speaking of Tex-mex, definitely delivered tacos to a member of the Wolfpack.  Starter at linebacker even.  (I do food delivery when I go places for gas or hotel money). I suspect I’ve delivered to athletes before, but this is 100%.

    11:11 3,000 (recent)

      pj - You've been OUTWEST way too long... I have no idea what you're talking about anymore...are you into peyote?

        Hi all,

        after months ready behind the scenes, I decided to write in this forum. I am not very active, but somebody may know me from the sub 1:30 half marathon group. and that is my goal. However, I am always trying to get in to good shape for my local marathon. I have attempted running the marathon 4 or 5 times and always finished with 6 or more miles walking and a time above 4:15. This year I have included lots more miles in my winter training (260 in January and 220 in February, March was 190, but I had to stop twice for two colds, for a total of 12 days, so it wasn't too bad). So now I think I should have a go at 3:20/3:30. However, I am in unknown territory, so I decided to write here for the next month (the marathon is on the 5th of May) to see if I can ask questions or get tips to achieve something this year.

         

        Before I post about training, let me introduce myself: I am Marco I am Italian , although I have been for the last 10 years in Northern Ireland, 35 years old, male, married, two kids, a boy and a girl, both aged 8 (twins!!!).

         

        I used to be a proper runner in my teens. My favorite races were the 800 mt. (PR at 2'06'' in 2003) and the 1,500 (PR at 4'22'' in 2003). When I started university I realized that running would not give me a salary, and that I really needed to focus on my future if I wanted to change my life around. So I stopped running, got a couple of university degrees in Italy and a PhD in Northern Ireland. I have been an academic for a while and then moved into consultancy 2/3 years ago. I started running again in 2013 after about 10 years of stop and I decided to run long distances. My first HM was not very well prepared and I finished in 1h 52'. Last year I managed to run a bit more consistently and train with some quality and achieved 1h30' (09'   ... I know... ) in the HM and 40' 16'' (again I know!!!) in the 10K.

         

        Unfortunately, running is not all I do. I have a family which I love and I'd like to enjoy my young kids as much as i can (and my wife does not like running) and a fairly demanding job which gets me on a plane at least once a month and often across the Atlantic. Don't get me wrong I love my job and it gives me enough to live well, but consistency is a very difficult thing to achieve with this type of job...

         

        I'll post more about my training and possibly questions later Smile happy to be here (officially now Wink

        Marco

        PRs since re-started in 2013:

        5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18) 

        HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)

         

        Upcoming races:  

        ???

        Running Problem


        Problem Child

          The only thing I can contribute to this conversation is.....

            

          Windy all week, with a solid headwind for the last miles of my Sunday run (that 6:57 was marathon effort).  Thought of Brew.

           

          darkwave: ah shucks. I noticed the weather but I never felt my ears burning. I'll let myself believe all the online coaching helped you power through and you were thinking "see...this is what I'm trying to show him. If he was here it would be easier."

           

          I was thinking of YOU when discussing a local half marathon on Saturday. It's April 6. Marathon is April 27. So three weeks before race day. RB doing the marathon with me wants a sub 2 half (has one in training long run). I'm in the "Do you want a good half or a full marathon?" camp. I know you're into racing 3 weeks prior...and this is three weeks prior. It is a mental headache debating to run the race and I'm leaning towards "don't" just because it may play with my race (I've never run a half as a predictor) if the time doesn't match what I want. For HIM I told him it's a good chance to practice nutrition, drinking, and keeping a 9:00 pace (he wants a sub 4 marathon) for that long.  I also told him I'm 95% confident he could do sub-2 right now so what is the point other than a medal.

           

          pj There is a 5k to full marathon in town this weekend if you wanted to race. Kinda flat course for the 5 and 10k.

           

          ocramireob As someone who DIDN'T run a lot for my first marathon I can tell you how much it sucked aiming for 3:30 and struggling to a 3:56. What kind of long runs, tempo runs, speed work, or anything other than weekly/monthly mileage have you done this year? With a 1:30 half marathon in 2018 and additional training you'd probably do well at 3:30. I see you did some 20 and 22 mile runs along with some 1,000m repeats all with good speed. The only thing I don't see is runs at a lactate threshold pace but that could be fine with your long runs. A 20 mile long run at 8:04 average with a 70 mile week could be enough proof of a 3:30 marathon being easy. I did a 3:36-3:37 (I think) in Chicago 2018 without doing that and I walked PLENTY of the second half.

           

           

          My Week:

          RWOL thingy still hates me. It does current week but not the previous. I've tried changing all kinds of security but it doesn't care. I'm probably going to be a victim of identity theft soon.

           

          M: 6.17 easy

          Tu: 3x2 mile. 15-19 mph wind forecasted. Thought I'd need to go by HR effort but ended up needing to slow myself down. (6:42, 6:46, 6:46; 6:47, 6:45, 6:41) Please with the workout, felt kinda cold, and still trying to work on "running by feel" and figuring out what that feels like. Plus TRX 3x10. Side Plank always sucks.

          W: 6.2 easy

          Th: 9@GMP. Heart rate seemd MUCH lower than expected, but the run also felt much better overall. Almost too easy. I also surged too much when I'd feel, or expect, some wind. Last mile was the slowest but I finished it (cut short last week). Probably because my workout was better overall.

          F: 4.5 easy

          Sa: 16.75 in race shoes. COLD 32F start PLUS I had to be home at a specific time. I probably should have waited until later for it to be warm, and run with NeRP in the stroller for the 2.5 hours I'd be out there. Live and learn. Detoured because I didn't want to run the way home they had instructed me. Popular relay ending. Ended up meeting another runner, helping some lady who thought she was lost (because I had my phone) and hammering out some 7:00 miles at the end to see how it MIGHT feel to go that fast after 15 miles. Kinda odd and I had to keep slowing down to stay around 7:00. Oh and I rotated my truck tires thinking "wow I ran almost 17 miles today. Back in the day I'd be on the couch not even THINKING of doing this."

          Su: dad stuff. cold morning plus hitting mileage made it easy to skip. I COULD have fit a run in around 6:30 pm but I just didn't care. I wanted ice cream and a shower. I skipped doing yard work (I have LOTS of weeds to pull) to work on our camping trailer. I'm refusing to work on my yard until after the marathon. I probably should have done the yard work.

           

          55.7 miles for the week.

          Garmin says 221 miles for March.

          Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.

          VDOT 53.37 

          5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22

          pepperjack


          pie man

            Welcome Marco

             

            brew - no racing for a while.  Also going to la the following weekend so no other trips for a while.

             

            rovatti - what specifically is confusing?  I mentioned the TAC meet to someone else and they asked me what it was.  I told them what I knew—it was a rival championship to AAU back in the day, stood for The Athletic Congress and even was the more competitive series.  Then went back and looked up what happened to the org cause I hadnt heard anything about them in a long time.

            Turns out they changed the organization’s name in ‘92 to...USATF.  So that’s a bit of history I didn’t know.

             

            The delivery stuff is just Uber for food.  But not Ubereats.  I did it back in Baltimore too, which was usually an adventure.  The app didn’t like to be rerouted off their ideal route, but when the road was closed by police for a shooting there’s nothing I could do...

             

            March mileage was 169.

            11:11 3,000 (recent)


            Speed Surplus

              Hey guys, I did something really dumb this weekend. I set up a hammock in my backyard but didn't secure one of the straps correctly. I was trying to test it out safely but ended up falling and striking my tailbone extremely hard on a metal ridge that divides some gravel steps. It hurt A LOT and I think I'm out for at least a week or maybe even longer.

               

              I still can't believe it.

              5:27 / 18:49 / 40:32 / 88:12 / 3:12

              Running Problem


              Problem Child

                Hey guys, I did something really dumb this weekend. I set up a hammock in my backyard but didn't secure one of the straps correctly. I was trying to test it out safely but ended up falling and striking my tailbone extremely hard on a metal ridge that divides some gravel steps. It hurt A LOT and I think I'm out for at least a week or maybe even longer.

                 

                I still can't believe it.

                 

                Why were you relaxing? Weekends are time for long runs and bike rides. Serves you right. You could have been crewing max during his runs.

                 

                also..that sucks. Hope you're feeling okay enough to bike to work. I bet switching back to public transit or driving is miserable and a constant reminder of why you e-bike.

                Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.

                VDOT 53.37 

                5k18:xx | Marathon 2:55:22


                Speed Surplus

                   

                  Why were you relaxing? Weekends are time for long runs and bike rides. Serves you right. You could have been crewing max during his runs.

                   

                  also..that sucks. Hope you're feeling okay enough to bike to work. I bet switching back to public transit or driving is miserable and a constant reminder of why you e-bike.

                   

                  I had just spent like 3 hours doing a spring cleaning on the backyard (and it was my wife's turn for a long run that day). Of course, you're right. If I had just gone for a 10 miler, I'd still be healthy today. 

                  5:27 / 18:49 / 40:32 / 88:12 / 3:12

                  kcam


                    SC - ouch, very ouch.  Hope it feels better soon.  Weird non-related to running injuries suck.

                    My weirdest one was taking a shower after my run in the locker room at work, the shower head blew off it's mount and the force of the water hammered the showerhead directly onto the top of my foot.  Hit so hard I couldn't put pressure on my foot for a week.

                    Decent week with 42 miles of running.  No workouts but I did a 4.7 mile club race on Sat and 15 mile long run Sun.  Go the 10 mile race coming up this weekend in Sacramento.  Im pretty sure I'm gonna suck.

                      SC,  ouch! Hope you feel better very soon!

                       

                      Brew (and others who read my first post and thought the same thing...) you are right, you didn't have much information to give me any suggestion on my time, and you managed to write sensible things in there by exploring my history (I guess in my profile Smile

                       

                      I started an 18 month up to 70 miles program back in December, following Pfitzinger and Douglas. I included a HM pace weekly for part of January and in February, until I got a cold during the last week. I would normally to 10-12 miles with 4-6 at 7' per mile or a bit less (Half marathon pace). Note that this year is the first in which I consistently ran over 45/50 miles per week and it is the first time I put together over 220 miles (January was 260). This was done on purpose to try and avoid fading at the end of the marathon. Unfortunately March did not go very well, I missed over 10 days of training due to a double cold (one wave at the beginning and one wave now.

                       

                      The 20 miles you mention were about 10 miles slow (8:30' mile) 5 miles around 8 and 5 miles at 7'30 (more or less, I was following the heart monitor trying to learn the pace...

                       

                      My last week had an interval session (which I included in the last 2-3 weeks) and a couple of medium run (didn't do any tempo run). I was off Friday and Saturday this week due to the cold, and then I went for a run with the marathon pacers. Unfortunately, the 3 hour 30 guy was off, so I decided to follow the 3h 15 which is definitely too fast for my current level of fitness, but it is a feasible pace in the future, also I thought... it's only a 12 miles (I didn't consider it was after a 2 days off for a cold)

                      I first did a 5 mile warm up (in which I averaged 7:45/7:50 per mile, cause I was a bit late), then I planned to run 12 miles at 3h 30 marathon pace, which became 11 miles at 3h 15 as I had to give up at mile 11 because I knew it was too fast and I still had to run back home for 4/5 miles...

                      As I was saying, I average 7:45 mile on my way (5 miles - definitely too fast as a warm up...) then 11 miles at 7:25/7:35, then 1 or 2 miles at 8:30, then I collapsed and managed to get home with a very slow 9' mile run. In total I ran 21.5 miles.

                       

                      The idea is to try and be healthy and finish the last cycle. I will then need to understand how to pace this marathon so that I do not take it too easy (given the effort I put in the training) but I finish strong and not fade or walk in the last 6 miles...

                       

                      Marco

                      PRs since re-started in 2013:

                      5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18) 

                      HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)

                       

                      Upcoming races:  

                      ???

                      ilanarama


                      Pace Prophet

                        Marco - you're suffering from an endurance deficit (or as some here like to call it, excess speed) and the only solution is a program of more miles plus a realistic marathon goal.  It sounds like you're working on the first part, and your goal range fits the second part, so you should be fine.  I would not overthink your training plan; concentrate on getting in a lot of miles, doing fast finishes, surges, and MP/HMP segments within your long runs, and do back-to-back longish runs (1.5 hours) midweek if you can.

                         

                        Clever - aw, I was hoping that was an April Fool's post, but I guess not.  Heal up your butt soon.

                         

                        I mostly wanted to post to say that last week I managed five runs, a ski day, and a mountain bike ride (first of the season, yay!).  Also I'm going to do a 5k in 2 weeks, I think.

                          Marco - welcome!

                           

                          pj - I guess I'm following you now.

                           

                          my week:

                          M: 5 easy

                          T: 5 with intervals: 6x800

                          W: 9 easy

                          Th: 6 easy + weights

                          F: 7 easy

                          S: 7 easy + weights

                          S: rd

                          total = 39

                           

                          Hey to y'all!

                          rlk_117


                          Resident Millennial

                            pj - [...] I have no idea what you're talking about anymore

                             

                            generally, this ^

                             

                            marco- welcome! Ilana gave a good synopsis on what you probably "have to do", nothing to add.

                            _________________________________________________
                            mile, 5:26 /5k, 19:34 /10k, 41:00 /13.1, 1:31:49 /26.2, 3:12:58

                              Marco - you're suffering from an endurance deficit (or as some here like to call it, excess speed) and the only solution is a program of more miles plus a realistic marathon goal.  It sounds like you're working on the first part, and your goal range fits the second part, so you should be fine.  I would not overthink your training plan; concentrate on getting in a lot of miles, doing fast finishes, surges, and MP/HMP segments within your long runs, and do back-to-back longish runs (1.5 hours) midweek if you can. 

                              thanks will try to follow this as well in the next couple of months.

                              More than overthinking the plan, I guess I am overthinking the marathon pace I should adopt for the day...

                               

                              I'll post updates Smile

                              PRs since re-started in 2013:

                              5km: 19:43 (Belfast park run Sep-16) | 10km: 40:16 (Belfast Lagan side 10K Sep-18) 

                              HM: 1:30:09 (Belfast city Half Marathon, September-18) | FM: 3:25:05 (official chip time Belfast city Marathon, May-19, marathon was 0.3/4 longer, original time 3:27:20 for 26.5/6...)

                               

                              Upcoming races:  

                              ???

                              kcam


                                Your race is May 5th so maybe 4 weeks at most of training left if you take into account some tapering.  You actually have some great training behind you ... lots of 50+ and 60+ mile weeks in the bag for the last 4 or so months.  Excellent.  Those two down weeks suck but my opinion is that from your recent training and your running background that you are set up very well to run 3:20 or 3:30.  If you had a year of those 50 and 60 mile weeks sub-3 would likely be in the cards.  Most important thing is to keep your mileage high until you start your taper.  I wouldn't do any super-hero workouts, just some tempos and I also would do ZERO workouts at faster than 1/2 Marathon pace.

                                Good luck I think you're gonna kill it!