Forums >Racing>2021 Sub 3:00 Marathon Thread
Mmmm Bop
Running Problem: Boston, CIM, and COVID.... your 3 favorite topics. Why not branch out to a different marathon?
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Ash
Well into taper mode with only a few days to the 50k. Weather forecast is for about 16C start and 23C finish, partly cloudy. Not horrible but a bit warmer than ideal. I had been training mostly mornings in low teens temps. Switching to arvo run commutes this week which should get me low-mid twenties temps. Ran a bit on the course on Sunday and had some quad DOMS from the (down)hills. I’m not at all hung up on time and just looking forward to getting out there now.
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)
OMR: That's great your hip has no pain since the all-elliptical period. Good idea to keep a session on it. What muscles do you think it is strengthening, glutes? Or hip flexors? Running Problem: Boston, CIM, and COVID.... your 3 favorite topics. Why not branch out to a different marathon?
OMR: That's great your hip has no pain since the all-elliptical period. Good idea to keep a session on it. What muscles do you think it is strengthening, glutes? Or hip flexors?
Probably a mix of things, but I think both my glutes and hip flexors tend to be weak.
Marby: Good luck with the 50k! You're right, that temperature range isn't horrible, but I think a lot would depend on it being cloudy or sunny.
Good luck on the 50k! Just enjoy it. Happy birthday by the way, if it has already taken place (or is it on race day?).
DW: I got the Adios 5 and ran in it for my workout this week. I really liked it; definitely a fast-feeling shoe, but I have to say I prefer the Adios 4 just a bit more. The 5 didn't feel quite as fast and is a bit (just a bit) more bulky feeling, not quite as sleek as the 4. Definitely a quality shoe though and I'm glad to have another model in the rotation.
2:52:16 (2018)
Mother of Cats
Marby - good luck!
Interesting. I felt the bulk also ("clunky" to me") - I wasn't sure if it would be as noticeable to someone who is taller and with a larger foot.
For me, the stiffness of the shoe is a big plus and overcomes the clunkiness; but I can see how that wouldn't hold true for others.
On a separate note - I just got an email advertising this race. I'm considering the 10 miler. Any insight on the group managing the race, since they're not too far from you?
Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.
And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
DW: That race looks great! I am not familiar with the race org, unfortunately, so can't give any feedback on them but just looking at the website it seems like they have their ducks in a row pretty well. I would be interested in the 10-miler as well. That's a distance that just has very few attractive options around me; the ones in CT are all very hilly. I'd really like to go for a fast 10 mile race. The marathon would be attractive if not for the time of year; too much risk of warm/hot weather.
Whelp - if we both do it, then we can have a forum encounter (modified as necessary for Covid protocols, of course).
It's 3 weeks out from Grandma's - I usually do a half-marathon at that point, but a 10 miler would work.
Problem Child
Running Problem liked this.
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
I had the 50k this morning, will write up and comment after sleep but it went well. I gave myself a license to cruise and was able to do that all the way and finish strong.
Marby - I saw on Strava - crazy impressive. I take it you're a bit sore this morning?
My week:
64 miles running, 1500 yards swimming, and 2 hours pool-running
M: 50 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.T: 12.5 miles, including a track workout of 1600, 4x800, 2x200 in 6:22, 3:05, 3:03, 3:01, 3:01, 42, and 42. 4:50 recovery after 1600; 2:2x-2:3x recovery after 800s; full recovery for 200s. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.W: 11 miles very easy (9:17) plus drills, 6 hill sprints, 2 flat strides, and streaming yoga.Th: 3 miles very easy on treadmill (9:33), 50 minutes pool-running, and upper body weights/core.F: 12 miles on the treadmill, including a tempo workout of 3x1 mile in 6:36 with 1:00 jog between, followed by 2 miles at 7:08 pace. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.Sa: 10 miles very easy (8:58) plus drills and 6 hill sprints, followed by streaming yoga.Su: 14 miles progressive in absolutely perfect weather, split as the first 4 averaging 9:06 pace, the next 5 miles averaging 7:46 pace, and the next 5 miles averaging 6:48 pace (and then a 1.5 mile cooldown). Followed with leg strengthwork, 500 yards recovery swimming, and 20 minutes pool-running.
Pretty happy with this week. The only hiccup was on Friday, when I miscalculated the speeds to plug into the treadmill. Due to interior warmth and the incline I keep my treadmill at, the paces on the treadmill are slower than the outside equivalent, but I tend not to adjust downwards enough - I thought 6:36 pace (9.1 mph) would be a reasonable speed for a tempo effort of 5x1 mile with 60 seconds jog. But...after getting through 3 of them, it was obvious that I was pushing beyond tempo effort, so I pulled the plug and followed with another 2 miles at marathon effort.
Marby: Really nice job on the 50k. Sounds like you were able to execute a good plan if you finished strong!
DW: Nice week. As you noted on Strava, you were just a little late this morning!
51.1 miles
M: Off
T: 8 miles aerobic (7:58)
W: 9 miles with a 18 minute tempo (avg. 6:35), 4 minute jog, 14 minute tempo (6:31)
T: 9 miles aerobic (8:17)
F: Off
S: 7 miles with 6x12 second hill sprints, then 8x100 m strides (8:58)
S: 18 mile long run (7:54)
Good week for me with a solid tempo and long run. I feel like my fitness is really coming around and I am quickly getting back to where I was at the end of last year. I turned my usual easy runs into aerobic (shooting for about 150 HR) runs this week. I think I'll continue that as long as my legs are feeling relatively fresh going into each run.
Marby - Congrats on the 50k and hope it was a good experience!
DW - I’ll admit that I always speed read through your weeklies...but I’m seeing 64 miles and your last 5 miles today was at 6:48 pace...so does this mean that you’re gearing up for a marathon PR?!!
Jhudak - Yep I agree that was a solid tempo and LR. 👍
My week...
Tue - 14 @ 7:57
Wed - 8 @ 9:20
Thur - 5 @ 8:44
Fri - 12 @ 6:48 w/3x3200 in 13.00/12.56/12.47 (4 laps recovery)
Sat - 5 @ 8:23
Sun - 16 @ 6:58 w/3x4800 in 20.08/20.00/19.54 (4 laps recovery)
Total - 60
The Fri and Sun track workouts went surprisingly well and HR was lower than I expected. I gave myself long recovery between intervals because I’m still easing myself into tempo runs after 2 years of....very little of anything under 8min/mile! I’m planning on doing a 5000m TT on Tuesday morning before I head back to Brighton, forecast is a bit windy, but no worries as it’s going to be more of a fitness predictor.
Nice week to you as well.
We had a sorta-forum encounter....I parked in Parking lot A (right near the 395 bridge) just before 7:30 am - I got there by taking 395 in, and then taking the Potomac Park exit before making a right onto Buckeye and another onto Ohio Drive. As I was waiting to make the right, two guys ran by on Buckeye, going counter clockwise. Based on your Strava - one of them was you...
(I remember the runners specifically because I had really struggled with the tights/shorts decision before going with shorts this morning. So I was checking out runners to see if anyone else was wearing shorts.....)
We shall see - today's run was honestly a surprise, as I didn't think I was in that shape yet (we did have perfect weather and I was running on an asphalt pancake). My marathon PR is 2:57:42 (6:47 pace) so that run puts me on the edge of PR territory. But of course, one has to train for the race first.
60-65 miles is usually my sweet spot when not marathon training, so that's not new. Marathon training doesn't start until mid-April. I've got my goal half marathon in 2 weeks, then a down week, and then I'll start a short cycle.
Nice week to you. The choice of two long tempo workouts within 72 hours struck me as interesting. Was there a theory behind that choice? Or just a matter of fitting it in when you could?
Thanks! No theory behind it...my workout was so enjoyable on Fri that I wanted to have more of it Sun because the Mary Peters track is soo amazing and therapeutic and in beautiful surroundings. I’ll post a photo of it on Tue after my TT.