Forums >Racing>2021 Sub 3:00 Marathon Thread
Problem Child
RP - Top man!!! I didn’t think you could do it simply because I thought you had a running problem!
There is a difference between having a running problem, and having a problem running. The former is like a drinking problem, where as the latter is something worth addressing. You see, I have this running problem where I doubt myself, but I won’t let myself NOT at least try my best in a race, and continually amaze myself while also continually saying “well yeah, but that’s a 5k/10k/half marathon/workout/trail run. This is a 5k/10 k/half marathon/race /trail run so it’s totally different” so I don’t build up too much confidence in the goal I’m trying to go for until I don’t realize I’ve actually surpassed the goal at which point I’m not sure how much I am away from an even more impressive goal, and I’m already here so if I stop no one will respect me including me.
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
1. I was absolutely continuously looking at my watch. 2. I believe the heart rate was accurate. I say this because I have done enough marathons with very heavy breathing, a 165-174 heart rate, and this year I actually calmed my breathing down in the middle of the race. I have also gone "checkers or wreckers" enough times to know how I feel when I push that hard and this was completely different. I'm no expert so I'll say it's a combination of "train high, race low" perfect weather (45-48F for 3 hours with cloud cover the whole way and a 3 mph breeze/head wind) and "the magic of CIM." This year was about 8-10 degrees warmer, with probably the same humidity. Previous CIM Marathons CIM 2015 3:23 CIM 2016 3:13 CIM 2019 2:59. This year was about 8 degrees warmer, and I was in the sub 3 pacing group CIM 2021 2:56. Ran "solo" or with whoever was continually around me.
1. I was absolutely continuously looking at my watch.
2. I believe the heart rate was accurate. I say this because I have done enough marathons with very heavy breathing, a 165-174 heart rate, and this year I actually calmed my breathing down in the middle of the race. I have also gone "checkers or wreckers" enough times to know how I feel when I push that hard and this was completely different. I'm no expert so I'll say it's a combination of "train high, race low" perfect weather (45-48F for 3 hours with cloud cover the whole way and a 3 mph breeze/head wind) and "the magic of CIM."
This year was about 8-10 degrees warmer, with probably the same humidity.
Previous CIM Marathons
CIM 2015 3:23
CIM 2016 3:13
CIM 2019 2:59. This year was about 8 degrees warmer, and I was in the sub 3 pacing group
CIM 2021 2:56. Ran "solo" or with whoever was continually around me.
Thanks for sharing! Looks like you race marathons really well. No sign of slowing late in your race in any one of the four you shared. Always starting slow or on pace.
Go get the 2:49!
I finally got one. A photo with both feet off the ground. It's so beautiful.
https://www.flashframe.io/photo/7561717/
https://www.flashframe.io/photo/7598652/
Oh, and then there is this...
https://www.flashframe.io/photo/7598648/
The girl behind me passed me shortly after this point and I never caught back up. Her and I were running together a LOT during the race. 90.82% sure she was wearing Alphaflys because it looked like she had the Jordan Air bubble in the sole.
Mmmm Bop
Forgot to also congratulate Mikkey and Dave for really good races. Has that ever happened to you before Mikkey? Great effort to drag yourself over the finish line.
Only at a Guns N Roses concert a few years back.
No that’s never happened during a race, but I’m just putting it down to lack of preparation. When I’ve had a good training cycle my marathon HR is pretty steady at around 160bpm throughout the race with a slight rise during the last 3/4 miles. With this race my HR kept increasing even though my pace was slowing, starting at 147 and peaking at 170 which probably explains why I felt good during the first half. The last 5 miles my HR was averaging between 167-170 which is more like my 10k HR.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Intl. correspondent
Mikkey - that was a bit scary but I'm glad to hear you're fine now.
RP - Take your time to enjoy and cherish this moment, you did great!. PRs are few and far in between, it's always amazing when we reach them!
We sometimes tend to fall into a trap and not celebrate them and instead keep thinking about how much faster we can go.
Awesome pictures!
PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021
Up next: some 800m race (or time trials) / Also place in the top 20% in a trail race
Tool to generate Strava weekly
RP: Congrats! That was an awesome race! Really looking forward to your RR.
Keen: I hope everything is alright. Your 10k PR shows you are in top shape, any thoughts about running another marathon in the next couple of weeks (if healthy)?
Cal: Great race! Are you planning on hopping in any more marathons this year?!
Mikkey: Sounds like you ran a really good race despite the fall! Hope your nose is alright.
Mikkey What was the weather like? The only time I've felt dizzy or "weird" in a marathon was in Las Vegas. It was hot that day and my heart rate was probably 170+ for probably the last hour while trying to get my BQ (missed it by 24-26 seconds) and I vomited in the medical tent after some water. I'm pretty sure mine was heat stroke. Perhaps yours was dehydration? Did you drink much water during the week leading up to race day?
Flavio I don't really know what to do to celebrate this. It's honestly "just another sub 3" and I know sub 3 is impossible for LOTS of people. Even knowing it was a 3 minute PR, I guess my celebration is not being sad I had a bad day. The body feels surprisingly good both after the race, and now 2 mornings later. Getting out of bed feels more like I just ran a hard run and spent the day on the couch than what I remember from marathon PRs. I haven't tried out my theragun, and I think a lot has to do with the super shoes, and yesterday's 2 mile "run" at "whatever pace feels like running." The first 5 steps of that run were definitely NOT comfortable and the thought of turning around wasn't allowed to enter my mind otherwise I'd have never done it.
The temperature was perfect and I wasn’t dehydrated. The wind really picked up as the race went on but I don’t think that was an issue.
Great race pics and looking full of confidence! I’m curious about your inner arm tattoo...so maybe you can touch on that in your RR. And also, you’ll need to start wearing short shorts as you’re a proper runner now and not some hobby jogger!
Cal - Hey! I know you’ll be disappointed not going sub 3...but it was still a great effort considering you ran a couple of marathons in your training cycle and probably hadn’t fully recovered. I respect anyone who experiments and not afraid to try something different. 👍
Dave - Getting the pace just right in a marathon is key! Finishing strong is much better than shuffling to the finish line!
Marby - Are you ready? You’re the last racer this year and we need to finish with a sub 3. 👍
RIP Milkman
I got to 3 inch shorts and then started to realize when I sweat, my shorts would bunch up and it looked like I was just wearing a singlet with nothing underneath. 5 inches is my limit. Although I know if Piwi is lurking, he will always point to that guy who was ... exposed in his short shorts a few years back.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Phil 4:13.
I need to go back to basketball shorts. the shorts I'm wearing only have my hotel keycard, truck keys, cell phone, and 5 gels. Oh and all of my gel wrappers.
Ash
Dave: Congratulations on your race.
Keen: I hope you find consolation in the great training cycle and lead in races; build on that and end up having a day out à la RP.
RP: I’m in awe. Lucky for you there are 8,000 miles between us – I’d have hands on you trying to absorb your superpower.
Cal: 3 marathons in 8 weeks, 4 in 14 weeks, running up and down mountains. No doubt if you focussed effort on one supreme performance you would have achieved a very high level, even without the high mileage IMO.
Looking forward to reports from you all.
Yep, let me at it! The only minor concern is a cough that started about 10 days back which I can’t shake. I had a moment of panic at the long range forecast a few days ago. It was saying 17C/63F at 6am and 24C/75F at 9am. Latest is more like 12C/54F at 6 and 16C/61F at 9, light wind. I’m aware that there’s plenty that can go wrong in a marathon but feel like everything I can control is in order and confident about getting this done.
Next: Ballarat, April 28, Pacing 3:50
Best: 5k 19:46 (Parkrun, 2016), 10k 40:37 (Track, 2022), Half 1:26:41 (2016), Full 3:00:23 (2021)
Jmac do not click on this link
https://youtu.be/i0QU3cqsHZE
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 "
Never gets old
Jmac do not click on this link https://youtu.be/i0QU3cqsHZE
2.21 with sausage and 2 veg showing must be some sort of record 🤔
Hilarious! Thanks for re-posting Piwi; I wanted to send this to some of my buddies a while back but couldn't find it.
Marby: Good to hear all systems are go (minus that cough). Good luck on Sunday!
2:52:16 (2018)