1/2 Marathon x 2 +10 = Marathon Time Question

The answer is either 9 or 1. We're still trying to decide.

Thanks for bumping the threat. Anyone else?

Or you can look at it this way:

Regardless of whether or not you tapered and ran 1:15 or keep your 1:17, you're in the 2:40 - 2:44 range. That's 6:06 - 6:15 mins/mile. Don't stress over it and just go out running 6:10s. On a good day you'll be a little on the fast side. On a bad day you'll be on the slower end.

good point

If you haven't done a marathon before I'd start out much more conservatively. The 2x plus 10 minutes does not work for a lot of people, especially first time marathoners. I'd start out closer to 2x plus 20 minutes - say 2:55 pace. I know you don't want to hear this but based on what I've seen that's how I'd start out if this is your first marathon.

If you've done a marathon I'd compare your half time to what you did the previous marathon to estimate your time.

it worked for Ritz

What Mo Money said is perfect. Now go kick some butt.

even numbers wrote:

it worked for Ritz

LOL.

You'd also want to think about how the courses and conditions compare. If one is a pancake and the other is challenging you'd want to compensate in the appropriate direction. If one is boiling hot and the other is cool you need to think about that.

I've run 3 marathon, but never ran a 1/2 marathon prior so I don't have anything to compare.

Mo: I will consider all those factors of course. I was just curious about the origin of this formula.

Right now I'm more interested in predicting my marathon pace based on my current fitness so I know what paces to run in workouts.

Another good formula is to add 5% to your half marathon time if you're more of a strength guy or 6% if you're more suited to shorter stuff.

thanks blazn,

-BB

it should be 2 x half marathon time plus 6-7 minutes.

2 x hm plus 10 minutes means you are either improperly trained or you had a bad race.

I thought someone might bring this up. Actually I think the + min needs to be adjusted based on how fast you run. There's probably a percentage that's more accurate as Blaznbison suggested, but I don't know exactly what that would be. That's another point of discussion all together.

I would guess somewhere around +10% would work. 5-6% seens a little quick. For a 1hr 1/2 marathon they run around 2:06 for the marathon. For a 1:25 1/2 marathon runner this would translate to a 2:58-2:59.

It's probably true that the average joe(including myself) is better trained for a 1/2 marathon than a marathon though so you're probably still correct about the latter statement.

ohh..blazn, you probably meant 5% per half right? That would be the same as the 10% I was mentioning. Just thought of that.

2 x half marathon plus 8 is what I have done. I think 6-10 minutes is about right to add. Of course, if you look at the world class runners, you may see six minutes instead of 8 or ten. there are quite a few factors to consider. The last thon I did was preceded by a really relaxed 1:16 two weeks out and I end up running a 2:43. I pretty well mess up my thon with the so called relaxed half two week out. My best thon I ran the same half in 1:12:30 andran 2:33 four weeks later. The moved the weekend of the marathon and I should have known better than to run one so close.

use 10 minutes as a general rule of thumb and then get out there and enjoy your marathon.

The smarter you run your marathon with even or negative splits, the less you should have to add on. I have run half in 1:13 and then run the marathon in (1:14, 1:22) in 2:36. That is just plain stupid!! 1:16,1:16 would have been a little smarter.

In general, for elite runners (or those runners who are very, very, very well trained for the marathon) the equation is

1/2 Marathon time + 3:00 x 2 = Marathon time

i.e a guy who runs 60:00 (aka Ritz), should be able to run about 2:06 (Aka, Ryan Hall).

There's always exceptions though; some individuals are more short-distance based, others more marathon based. The short distance guys might run 61:00 for the half, but only run 2:10-2:11 in the Marathon. Or you have the pure marathoners, who run 61:00 in the half, and run 2:06:xx in the full.

General that equation is pretty true though.

Not on the LR boards. If it's 80deg, you should have been more conservative and still met your goal. It it was cold and windy, you should have gutted it out and still met your goal. If it was held up and down Pikes Peak, you should run the uphill and downhill faster to meet your goal. Otherwise, you must not have had a realistic goal. And 10min? Khalid Khannouchi's best half was ~61 and he ran 2:05. What's wrong with you people? All of the above is sarcasm if you can't tell. Don't train based on a goal time or one piece of data from a race. Training paces come from effort level. The tables (McMillan, Daniels) are rough guidelines. Some days you feel better than others. Run by effort and you won't go wrong. This goes for race day too, but of course err on the side of caution the first 10mi or so in a Marathon.

Mo Money! wrote:

You'd also want to think about how the courses and conditions compare. If one is a pancake and the other is challenging you'd want to compensate in the appropriate direction. If one is boiling hot and the other is cool you need to think about that.

Lost Soul wrote:

In general, for elite runners (or those runners who are very, very, very well trained for the marathon) the equation is

1/2 Marathon time + 3:00 x 2 = Marathon time

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you use this equation and not the HM x 2 + 6 minutes.