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How do I PR? (Read 275 times)

C-R


    New to this forum but hopeful I can get some ideas based on what I've seen in other threads here. I just completed a marathon with a new PR (3:48) not fast for most of you but I want more. Big grin Basically I want to see if I can get into the <3:40 range on the next one. my main goal this race was to get back to running and keep away from injury. so far so good on that. long term i have a bq in mind but i'm willing to be patient and build miles. i had great pace up to 16 and avg about 8:11. i started losing pace but my hr really never climbed. i just didn't seem to have the leg strength. i assume this is from a lack of miles but don't really know. my short range plan is to run another marathon this winter or spring. i run most runs at an easy pace using a low heart rate regimine. i only had tempo runs last time but the longest one was 4 miles at race pace. basically i run 6 or 7 days per week and will average around 40 mpw (5 or 6 days at a minimum of 5 miles + weekend long run). i find i enjoy running every day and have not had any adverse efects. i do take days off for life events but nothing planned. so here is the general question - what do you think would help me knock off that 8 + minutes for the next one? log is open. thanks. range="" on="" the="" next="" one.="" my="" main="" goal="" this="" race="" was="" to="" get="" back="" to="" running="" and="" keep="" away="" from="" injury.="" so="" far="" so="" good="" on="" that.="" long="" term="" i="" have="" a="" bq="" in="" mind="" but="" i'm="" willing="" to="" be="" patient="" and="" build="" miles.="" i="" had="" great="" pace="" up="" to="" 16="" and="" avg="" about="" 8:11.="" i="" started="" losing="" pace="" but="" my="" hr="" really="" never="" climbed.="" i="" just="" didn't="" seem="" to="" have="" the="" leg="" strength.="" i="" assume="" this="" is="" from="" a="" lack="" of="" miles="" but="" don't="" really="" know.="" my="" short="" range="" plan="" is="" to="" run="" another="" marathon="" this="" winter="" or="" spring.="" i="" run="" most="" runs="" at="" an="" easy="" pace="" using="" a="" low="" heart="" rate="" regimine.="" i="" only="" had="" tempo="" runs="" last="" time="" but="" the="" longest="" one="" was="" 4="" miles="" at="" race="" pace.="" basically="" i="" run="" 6="" or="" 7="" days="" per="" week="" and="" will="" average="" around="" 40="" mpw="" (5="" or="" 6="" days="" at="" a="" minimum="" of="" 5="" miles="" +="" weekend="" long="" run).="" i="" find="" i="" enjoy="" running="" every="" day="" and="" have="" not="" had="" any="" adverse="" efects.="" i="" do="" take="" days="" off="" for="" life="" events="" but="" nothing="" planned.="" so="" here="" is="" the="" general="" question="" -="" what="" do="" you="" think="" would="" help="" me="" knock="" off="" that="" 8="" +="" minutes="" for="" the="" next="" one?="" log="" is="" open.=""></3:40 range on the next one. my main goal this race was to get back to running and keep away from injury. so far so good on that. long term i have a bq in mind but i'm willing to be patient and build miles. i had great pace up to 16 and avg about 8:11. i started losing pace but my hr really never climbed. i just didn't seem to have the leg strength. i assume this is from a lack of miles but don't really know. my short range plan is to run another marathon this winter or spring. i run most runs at an easy pace using a low heart rate regimine. i only had tempo runs last time but the longest one was 4 miles at race pace. basically i run 6 or 7 days per week and will average around 40 mpw (5 or 6 days at a minimum of 5 miles + weekend long run). i find i enjoy running every day and have not had any adverse efects. i do take days off for life events but nothing planned. so here is the general question - what do you think would help me knock off that 8 + minutes for the next one? log is open. thanks.>


    "He conquers who endures" - Persius
    "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

    http://ncstake.blogspot.com/


    #2867

      Peaking in the 50-60 miles per week range, and more consistent weeks in the 40s and you should be able to do it pretty easily without tweaking anything else and carrying on as you have been. Once you feel recovered, start doing some base building. No speed work, just build the mileage up until you have consistent weeks in the 40s, then start to build it up a little higher. Figure out when your next marathon will be, and plan about a month of your tempo type runs and any other speedwork that you want to incorporate. Most of your benefits are going to come from more consistent long runs. You did pretty well in August with 16 miles, 17 miles, and 19 miles every other week, but then you didn't do another long run until your 20 miler 5 weeks later, 2 weeks before your marathon. If long runs every week are too much or you are comfortable with every other week, you should keep that going and make sure you get 2 to 3 long runs in per month. As you can tell, you can run a marathon with long runs, but it's a lot easier with them.

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

      Hannibal Granite


        You're right that you need more overall miles. That is #1 for you right now. Once you have recovered from the marathon you just ran you should be able to bump up your weekly mileage to 50-55 mpw with no problem, maybe with a goal of getting to 60-65mpw. The first thing to do is have more consistency with your long runs, that doesn't mean you have to go 20 miles every weekend, but you should be going at least 90-120 minutes every week, with a truly long run every other weekend. Also, add in a semi-long run in the middle of the week (an hour plus up to 90 minutes). As for any speed work, once you get used to doing that midweek long(ish) run you could just pick up the pace over the second half of that run down to marathon pace or a bit faster. Hope that helps

        "You NEED to do this" - Shara

        C-R


          Thanks Blaine and John. There is no substitute for miles. Good advice. Stupid follow-up question: What would be considered a solid base of 40-50 mpw. Two months solid? Three months solid? I know this is probably dependent on the person, but it will help me determine what race will fit into the schedule best. I don't want to go under prepared as I did this one. Thanks.


          "He conquers who endures" - Persius
          "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

          http://ncstake.blogspot.com/


          #2867

            Cardiopulmonary (heart & lung) adaptations happen in 3-5 weeks, musculoskeletal (muscle and bone) adaptations happen in 6-8 weeks. In two months of consistent mileage, you are adapted to that weekly mileage. I'd look for a marathon 3+ months out in your shoes, but if there is one that is 2 or 2.5 out that you really want to run then don't let that recommendation stop you.

            Run to Win
            25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)