Forums >Racing>2021 Sub 3:00 Marathon Thread
Mmmm Bop
Cal and RP running CIM again? Zzzzzzz
The Valencia marathon is also on the 5th Dec and looks like a much more scenic and true course.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
RIP Milkman
I also think with Boston they planned it at a terrible time of year with weather. Way too high of a chance warm temps. Top that with an equal amount of good choices, interest may be lower. Boston is one of the few great races in the spring. In the fall, there are a plethora of them.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
3 months til Masters
Just popping in while the kids are both occupied.
Mon: 11 easy 7:38 Average
Tues: 2x(800m (200m jog) 400m (100m) 400m) with 800m jog between sets
2:40 75 742:41 75 74Pea sized hail during the second set of intervals...thank goodness I had running baseball cap to protect the eyes.
5.5 mile shake out in the evening 7:33 average
Wed: 9 miles easy at 7:23 average
6 miles in evening at 7:37 average
Thurs: 9 Miles at 7:35. Shorter and slower to prep for tomorrow.
Friday: 8x1k @ 5k pace with 400m jog between (12 miles total)
Track season at the school I use started so had to get off track after 5th rep.3:21 3:20 3:19 3:21 3:19 3:21 3:20 3:19This felt maybe 10% harder than the 6xmile @ 10k last week. This workout was supposed to bury me a bit, but I think In better shape than I thought.
Sat: 11 miles of group run with team...legs felt surprisingly good 7:12 average
Sun: I will go 16 while the kids nap. Nothing special...something between 7:00-7:20 pace. Just a long easy run. The rest of the day is packed so this was the only time I was going to get this typed up.
I'll be right between 88 and 89 miles total on the week.
Next week is going to have some hard workouts and the week after that is my 10k (Aprils 24th, Get in gear 10k on a non certified course. Normal course is all on road, this will be on bike path right next to road due to the city not allowing road closures for events right now. They are going to measure it and it should be very close, but they are not going through certification since this will be the only year it is like this. They are one of the best race organizers in the region so I'm sure it will be accurate +/- 20m, basically just a few corners are shaved on the bike path)
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
Not sure if that is the race JTR was running but I see his name there and it's 2:54:57. Honestly - it's a great time no matter what. Not to mention I would be so happy with it (it would allow me handsomely beat that Brit guy who likes so much to run scenic races . I think JTR was targeting sub 2:50, and considering all last year with no real races and less motivation because of that (at least it was the greatest factor for me), I think the time is great - more marathons are coming and so, more motivation. Congrats JTR! Are you going to Boston or prefer to target other races?
Ha-ha... I spent some time finding race results, but all I actually needed to do is to check Strava
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
DPS - some hardcore week. Very impressive, cannot imagine when I can get to that level of intensity (probably never . Great you guys already have opportunities to race. I am trying to find something around here and all I can find are some rare trail races. Not sure when we will be able to start racing - maybe in the summer, everybody is still scared to open any races around here right now.
My week:
finally kind of able to report 45 miles of running at average 9:12 pace. Pace doesn't bother me yet, still, the task for the next 5-6 weeks will be consistency of milage - anything in a range of 40-60 miles per week. Then I will start doing more specific training - with workouts and long runs. Yes, planning to run Boston, the ideal goal there (as I see it right now) would be sub 3, but that might change if I find a marathon to run that is earlier than Boston. I still have bucket list goal of top 10 in Boston in my AG. Covid screwed up my 55 yo opportunity cancelling the race last year, now I will be 56 for October race and 55 years olds will have an advantage over me . I might wait until 60 yo mark? For now I see that 2:55-2:56 should allow me to get that top 10 in 55-59 AG. But I don't think it's feasible for me to do by October. Will see.
Mikkey - I checked Valencia course. Not sure what scenic about that one . It's a course inside the city, hopefully with a lot of crowd. I loved the finishing area - looks fantastic. I once finished inside the stadium in Helsinki - that was awesome! They do not accept new registrations though - I guess your registration is coming from last year cancelled event? As for "more true" course - as I mentioned many times before - you are welcome to run and experience this "cheaters" course and only after that you will be allowed to have a right to judge it. Many people from this forum ran it and I do not think any of them called that course as a "cheaters" course - but you have to experience it before calling it out and not all people have guts to do that . Still hope to race it with you next year in Boston and then maybe to race some race in Europe - Berlin maybe? - that will make my wife happy - she constantly bugging me (bugging is a mild word here that we do not do any traveling since we got married 18 years ago - though I think, at this stage of marriage, nothing will make her happy.
Mother of Cats
Not sure if that is the race JTR was running but I see his name there and it's 2:54:57. Honestly - it's a great time no matter what. Not to mention I would be so happy with it (it would allow me handsomely beat that Brit guy who likes so much to run scenic races . I think JTR was targeting sub 2:50, and considering all last year with no real races and less motivation because of that (at least it was the greatest factor for me), I think the time is great - more marathons are coming and so, more motivation. Congrats JTR! Are you going to Boston or prefer to target other races? Ha-ha... I spent some time finding race results, but all I actually needed to do is to check Strava
Looks like a hard fought race. Not what he was targeting, but sub 2:55 is still solid.
Also worth noting that the course was double out-and-back, with a socially distanced staggered start - I think both of those points can make for a more challenging race, especially when things get tough in the final miles.
JTReeves- I hope you are having a celebratory drink right now.
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.
Re: CIM v. Valencia - both seem to be really nice, super fast races. A training partner of mine got his first sub-3 at Valencia in 2018, and raved about the race.
That being said, for RP and CalBears, CIM is a short easy trip; Valencia is not. So I can see why one would be more appealing. I think part of it comes down to whether you are traveling just to race, or if you want to combine a race with pleasure travel.
***
My week for posterity:
58 miles running, 1000 yards swimming, and 2 hours pool-running
M: 50 minutes pool-running and streaming yoga.T: 7.5 miles very easy (8:51).W: 7 miles very easy (8:54), upper body weights/core, and 3 miles very easy (8:51).Th: 3 miles very easy on treadmill (9:36), 50 minutes pool-running, and streaming yoga.F: 12 miles, including a track workout of 3200, 1600 in 12:56 (6:31/6:25) and 6:18; 5 minute recovery between the two. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.Sa: 9 miles on the treadmill (9:26), upper body weights/core, 3 miles very easy outside (8:53) plus drills and 6 hill sprints.Su: 14 miles progressive, split as the first 5 averaging 9:26, the next 4 averaging 7:51, and the next 5 averaging 7:03. Followed with leg strengthwork, 500 yards recovery swimming, and 20 minutes pool-running.
Nothing too exciting this week, just recovery from last Saturday's half-marathon and last Sunday's second Moderna shot. HR was elevated for my runs on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then settled back down. By this weekend I felt fine.
Hey everyone, I am back home now and yes DW, in the process of beer #1. Thanks Cal and DW for the kind words. I was of course hoping for under 2:50 but it just was not there. Not really sure what to say, legs were just dead and not up to it. I think I just was not in shape for 2:50, or maybe I just am not capable of it. I wonder if I hit my peak in 2018 with my PR. But I will keep trying!
One interesting thing is the course was short by my watch, and looking at strava, by most people's watches. Around 26.14-26.16 miles in most cases. I noticed from the start that each mile marker (course was very well marked for each mile) occurred before my watch registered that mile, and the gap grew as the race progressed. It was a certified course and is a BQ course, so a little strange that it would be off. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't PR on this since I would feel not right with a PR from a short course. On the positive side, this was a BQ - 25 minutes for me, which should be good to get into Boston 2022. Cal, that's the Boston I'm planning on. Hopefully you and Mikkey will be there and some other people from here. This fall I will run Hartford, which is kind of like for me what CIM is for you; the local race, very convenient and very familiar to me, also where I set my PR. Hopefully it will happen again this fall!
2:52:16 (2018)
JTreeves - thanks for checking in, and very interesting about the course. Has the race management said anything about the course?
I feel like we're about to rehash a discussion, but...I would personally go with a certified course over GPS, though it is odd that most measured short. Since it was off from the start, that doesn't indicate that a turnaround cone was in the wrong place. I guess the start line could be misplaced. I wonder if an announcement will come out.
One thing I have noted is that Garmins tend to measure short on winding bike trails (they smooth out the turns). I looked at your course to see if it was that type of trail, but it looks like the course was pretty straight.
Much respect for acknowledging that you thought the course was short.
(And FWIW, I think you are capable of sub-2:50. The marathon is just a tricky nut to crack.)
Problem Child
Valencia...SPAIN?!?!? Yeah that is kinda far. I might get in trouble for a weekend trip there without the wife.
CIM is a nice cap to the end of racing season too. Looks like there will be a good group of locals I can do long runs with for this year as part of base building and training. Going to keep trying the speed work and ease i to some TRX. I woke up really sore on Wednesday morning. No need to do too much too soon and yet I’m upset I never started all the times I wanted to start. Should be noted I’ll be trying for another sub 3 at CIM so I can run a normal Boston. Also to prove to myself it wasn’t just a fluke.
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
JTreeves - thanks for checking in, and very interesting about the course. Has the race management said anything about the course? I feel like we're about to rehash a discussion, but...I would personally go with a certified course over GPS, though it is odd that most measured short. Since it was off from the start, that doesn't indicate that a turnaround cone was in the wrong place. I guess the start line could be misplaced. I wonder if an announcement will come out. One thing I have noted is that Garmins tend to measure short on winding bike trails (they smooth out the turns). I looked at your course to see if it was that type of trail, but it looks like the course was pretty straight. Much respect for acknowledging that you thought the course was short.
DW, I did a deeper dive in the results now that a lot more are populated in Strava, and it looks now like a majority had the course as "normal" length, ie, in the 26.3x mile range. One trend I noticed was Garmin watches with lower model #s (235 and lower) produced the short readings (my own is a 235), whereas higher model #s (645 up to 900s) showed in the 26.3x range. Perhaps the higher model # watches are more accurate, or not affected by some course features that threw off the lower model # GPS readings. Who knows...
Cal and RP: I put Boston in the table for both of you with a goal of sub 3, let me know if that changes. When will they announce who gets in to the 2021 race?
DPS: Strong week again. Should I put your upcoming 10k on the table? Will you be going for sub 35?
JT- Get in Gear 10k is on 4/23 in Minneapolis, a non certified course but it will be pretty close. A little hilly and I am going to train through it so 35:30 should be the goal.
JT - I haven't been directly following your training this cycle like cycles past. Did you have anything that indicated sub 2:50 was realistic, or was it just a "PR or bust" type of cycle? Just curious if this is a race day issue, execution, or maybe just wrong races (I've pointed out before you're effectively running time trials with these tiny races, although you didn't have much choice this time around).
Overseas Marathons - not a good idea in this time of COVID border restrictions. Maybe 2022.
JT - Big congrats as that is still a fantastic time and don’t give up on the sub2:50 goal as you’ve definitely got the ability! Maybe you just need to tweak some of the quality workouts rather than increasing mileage. Also the TT vibe and lack of tune-up races wouldn’t have helped either - when I PRd in 2019 I raced a couple of 5ks and a half within 4 weeks of the marathon and felt it really sharpened me up. Also congrats on the BQ and hopefully see you there next year!
Cal - I just can’t resist winding you up about CIM. Yeah I’ll be up for Boston 2022 when hopefully things have calmed down. I should run a BQ at Richmond next month and then hopefully improve on it later in the year to sub2:50 standard. You seem to magically get into sub3 shape by running loads of 9min/miles which obviously works for you! I just find it impossible to run that slow.
My week,,,
Mon - 18 holes of golf
Tue - 4 @ 8:51
Wed - 14 @ 7:53
Fri - 26.4 @ 7:16 w/4x3 miles @ 6:44 avg. (1 mile recovery)
Sun - 10.4 @ 8:20
Total - 54.8