Forums >Racing>2021 Sub 3:00 Marathon Thread
Thanks JMac; I will go with that schedule for the final week. Basically increasing that final workout to 3 x 1 mile instead of a single mile, and running an easy 3 the day before (maybe with some short pick-ups).
Mikkey: I see the British Olympic marathon trials are tomorrow; good luck, I assume you are participating. I'll be rooting for you!
2:52:16 (2018)
RIP Milkman
Yep, just make sure you don't run those too fast (LT pace) especially during a taper. The long rest is also key, much longer than usual as the goal is just to keep the legs fresh but not tire yourself out like a normal workout.
I will say I always feel like crap in this workout though and after 3 I'm done, but that's how I know I'm ready
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
JT: FYI, I found the other article. Most of it is the same, so I'll just post the relevant workout information here...
7 days pre-race: 10- to 12-mile run with the last 10 minutes at marathon pace3 days pre-race: 2 x 5:00 at marathon pace followed by 3 x 1:00 at 10K pace1 day pre-race: 4 or 5 30-second strides, starting at half marathon pace and working down to 5K–10K pace
I did this for my PR marathon, and my last 7 days were: 9.8 (w/MP), 7, 4, 4, 6.5 (w/MP and 10K), 3, 3 (w/strides). I peaked at 95mpw that cycle...with less mileage I probably would have taken a day off. I think it's pretty similar to what Jmac is suggesting, in that the workout 3 days out is just to freshen up, but also to get a small amount of MP in the legs. If I remember correctly, I felt like crap for that workout, too. And then for me, the last two days were about small tweaks to the system, and also about burning off just enough energy so I wasn't climbing the walls and could sleep at night.
Mmmm Bop
Mikkey - we haven't gotten your full take on the royals!
I would like to think that New Yorkers aren’t easily fooled...that’s if you’re talking about that excruciating Oprah interview!
OMR - I like those final 3 workouts and have done very similar (but on the treadmill)
JT - Yeah I got an email about the trials (unfortunately about watching live rather than participating ). I don’t know any of the runners apart from a local Brighton guy who is one speedy 45yo! He’s picked up an injury and on antibiotics, but still hoping to run. He ran 2:18 at the Brighton marathon in 2019 and looking to PR tomorrow. This was his last MP run last week which was insane! https://www.strava.com/activities/2230359094
Cal - Hopefully Boston 2022 if you’re still up for it. 👍 I just need to qualify again...Sub 3:25 or bust!
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
JT: Yeah, I remember NACN from the RWOL days. He hung out with the sub-3:20 crowd for a while. I also found the running surface part of that article interesting, and makes me think I need to pay more attention to how I feel the day after a trail run. I'll have to check out "Out of Thin Air," thanks for the recommendation.
Mikkey: I'm curious about why you do those last workouts on the treadmill. In a non-COVID world, I have access to three different models, all with a different feel. One of them is pretty stiff, and the other two tend to be more bouncy/squishy (I don't like running on those).
calbears: Good luck getting rid of that 25 pounds of grease! Seems like it gets harder to get rid of the older I get.
rovatti: Hey, that's good news, glad to hear you are doing some running and the knees are cooperating!
I normally do ALL my big workouts on the treadmill, mainly because it takes less time to recover and I never have to look at my watch. I do enough longer slower runs outside so that it’s not a shock to my legs on race day. It makes perfect sense to me, but I understand that treadmill running is mental torture to some folk.
No side effects or blood clots from my Astrazeneca jab yesterday. Phew!
OMR: Thanks for the additional taper week routine. That does look similar to what JMac does; maybe just a few minutes less for the workout 3 days out. I'm excited to give this a try. I may go to a paved road for that last 3 x 1 mi workout rather than do it on the dirt road.
Mikkey: That Brighton guy is fast! And 45 years old?! That 16 miles was faster than I usually run 10! Glad your first dose went ok.
Mikkey:. Ah, that makes sense. I’m not at all opposed to running on treadmills — I think I’ve done up to around 3.5 hour treadmill workouts in preparation for ultras — I just don’t like running on the ones with a soft landing.
Yep, just make sure you don't run those too fast (LT pace) especially during a taper. The long rest is also key, much longer than usual as the goal is just to keep the legs fresh but not tire yourself out like a normal workout. I will say I always feel like crap in this workout though and after 3 I'm done, but that's how I know I'm ready
JMac, not to sound obsessive, but for your NYC taper you did 0 7 7* 5 0 3 as you already noted, but for CIM you did 8 7* 7 5 0 3. The latter was on higher mileage so you ran Monday instead of taking it off, but the 3 x 1 workout was on Tuesday whereas for NYC it was on Wednesday. I'm thinking I'd like to do it Tuesday and have it a bit further removed from race day, so do something like 0 7* 7 5 0 3. Any thoughts? Did you move it to Tuesday for your CIM taper for a specific reason?
3 months til Masters
Hi all. Just finally have a quiet morning here in MN and thought I would drop in. I've started marathon training. Since speed has been issue since i returned to running i decided to do a 4 week 10k-ish training before going into a 12 week marathon block.
Week 1 (Feb 22nd):
8x200m at 9.5% incline Hill Sprints 3 WU/CD
6x1k at 3:39 3 wu/cd
15 miles going from 7:45-6:40
77ish miles total with the rest being easy miles
Week 2 (March 1st)
8x200m@39 seconds/ 4 min jog/ 4x200m@33sec 2mile wu/cd
5x3min @5:52 w/ 1 min jog/ 3 WU/CD
16 miles progressing form 7:18 to 6:36 over rolling hills so progression was not super smooth
79 miles total with the rest being easy miles
Week 3 (March 8th)
2 mile WU/ 4x200m progressive faster hills /2x400m hills with 2nd half hard/ 4x200m hills hard / 2 mile CD
2 WU / 2xMile at 5:45 (400m jog) 1x2 mile (5:55/mile) (4 min jog) 1 mile 5:40/ 2 mile CD, First time on track this year (5:44 5:44 5:53 5:55 5:41 actual splits)
16 mile progression 7:18-6:10 progression
Just under 82 miles total with the rest being easy miles
Week 4 (March 15)
2 WU/ 10x300m @ 1:00 (5:22 pace) 100m jog/ 2 CD (59 59 61 69 61 58 59 58 59 60)
2..5 WU/ 10x1k @ current 10k fitness (3:34/k 5:44/mile) 90 sec jog /2.5 cd....This workout buried me. I had to move the first work out back to a Wed due to snowstorm and with only a 12 miler in between, this work buried me hard. (3:30 3:34 3:35 3:34 3:34 3:35 3:35 3:34 3:35 3:36)
16 miles easy 7:18
Just over 83 miles the rest being easy runs
Week 5 (This week):
1x800m @ 2:41 (200m jog) 2x400m @ 1:14 w/100m jog between (4 min walk) 5x300m in 60sec with 100m jog between wu/cd 2.5 (2:42 75 74 58 59 59 59 59)
5x3min @ 5:50 /5x2min @ 5:30 Fartlek..Ran this on a river loop so some up and down and efforts were right but paces a bit off due to up and down hills. This was with only 1 day between so I got it done but it was rough again.
this Sunday: 40 min easy/ 40 min at current Marathon pace/ 20 min easy
I'll be around 83 miles this week.
Logging this a bit early but this has been the first time I have had that are not filled with 2 kids climbing on me/work/running.
I've been reading up on everyone, sometimes when the kids are running around, but not much time to type as my 9 month old goes straight for the keyboard anytime I use a laptop.
Still planning on Grandma's in June.
Darkwave- I changed and booked for the dorms after I found out no spectators allowed so it will be a solo trip for me...but it only 2 hour drive so not bad.
2023 Goals
Marathon Sub 2:37 (CIM) 2:41:18
10k Sub 35:00 (Victory 10k 34:19)
5k Sub 16:00 (Hot Dash 5k in March (16:48), Brian Kraft in May (16:20), Twilight 5000 in July and August (16:20/16:25 Both heat index 102-103F)
Sub 1:16 Half Marathon City of Lakes Half Marathon 1:15:47)
Sub 56:30 in 10 mile (Twin Cities 10 mile, Canceled due to weather, 56:35 as a workout)
2024 Goals
Sub 2:37 Marathon
Sub 1:15 Half
Sub 34 10k
Sub 16 5k
PS signed up for a real in person competitive 10k in April! Racing is returning to MN!
JMac, not to sound obsessive...
JT, your marathon just two weeks away...you're supposed to be getting obsessive!
dps: Looks like a solid block for you. Glad to hear racing is starting to open up down there.
My week...
S: 8M @ 7:53
M: 13.5M @ 7:48
T: 3.5M @ 8:38
W: 7.6M @ 7:53 w/12 x 1min @ 5K+ effort
T: 7.2M @ 7:54
F: 3.5M @ 8:43
S: 19M @ 8:23
Total: 62.3M
OMR: Great looking week; nice long run and medium-long run and a good workout as well. Things are clicking for you! And yes, now is definitely the time in the cycle for me to start being obsessive, about taper, race day weather, etc!
Mikkey: I saw your Brighton buddy had an awesome race at the trials! 2:17 PR and a British record for the 45 AG.
My week: Vaccine shot #1 on Wednesday afternoon didn't seem to have much effect other than a sore arm and being really tired Friday morning for some reason. Final long run was today. 2 weeks till race day! This week will be the start of tapering.
Mother of Cats
OMR - so nice to see you putting good weeks up consistently.
DPS - good to hear from you. Which dorm are you staying in? I always go with UMD - I've never stayed anywhere else, but I've always been happy there, while I've heard some complaints about St. Scholastica and UW-Superior.
I've booked my flight up to MSP. I'm still debating whether, for my return flight, I want the one that leaves at 8:00 pm on Saturday and arrives after midnight, or the 6:20 am on Sunday one.
My week:
60 miles running, 1500 yards swimming, and 2 hours pool-running
M: 50 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.T: 12 miles, including a track workout of 2x1200, 3x800, 400, 2x200 in 4:39, 4:39, 3:07, 3:01, 3:01, 87, 43, and 42. 400m recovery in between 2:2x and 2:4x after each. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.W: 11 miles very easy on treadmill (9:33), 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 4 miles in 27:22 (6:56/6:49/6:49/6:48) and six 30 second hill repeats up a 5% slope with 90 second jog after each. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.Sa: 10 miles very easy (8:51) plus drills and 6 hill sprints, followed by streaming yoga.Su: 12 miles easy to moderate, split as the first 4 averaging 9:04 pace and the next 8 miles averaging 7:27 pace. Followed with leg strengthwork, 500 yards recovery swimming, and 20 minutes pool-running.
Starting to rest up for my half-marathon next Saturday. I managed to schedule my second Moderna shot for Sunday morning at 10 am, so that works out well. Basically I'll take the week after the half and Moderna shot pretty easy, and then start training for Grandmas. I don't need too much to get into marathon fitness from where I am - just 6 weeks of training and then a 10 mile race 3 weeks out (JT Reeves - I'm in for that 10 Miler in Albany. Entered and have flights booked.)
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.
Dark-UMD for me. I would take the night flight cause movement the morning after sleeping is always pretty bad for me.
OMR are you getting some nice weather this week (cause you are near Fargo right?)? We are getting some very warm and cold weather withing a few days in Minneapolis.
JT- heck of a long run.