Coming from 60 mpw, upping mileage, and improving. Keep going?

Keep going. If you stay tired enough, you are less likely to get hurt. It's when a person is feeling fresh, perky and explosive that they hurt themselves.

Tire those muscles. Run and run until it's hard to get tired, then you will be ready.

Most likely it will help. I ran 2:49 on a steady 70mpw with peaks at 80. Once I increased to a steady 80 with peaks at 90-100, I dropped 6 minutes.

You're already doing workouts, so I'd recommend only adding easy mileage to what you're already doing. It will lessen the risk of injury.

When is your target marathon?

Have you ever consistently run more than 60mpw before?

What does a typical training week look like for you right now?

How are you feeling with your current training?

Rock n Roll Raleigh

60 is my highest consistent average mileage although I've hit 70 at times.

Something like this is pretty representative, although of course I'd do more threshold and specific work closer to the race:

Su - 10 moderate

M - 5 am 5 pm

T - 2 mi. warmup, 5x1mile, 3' rest, 2 mi. cooldown

W - 10 moderate

Th - 2 mi. warmup, 2x2mile, 5' jog recovery, 1mi cooldown in am, 4 easy pm

F - 5 am 5 pm

S - 15-18 steady, sometimes would do as progression or 2nd half fartlek

I seem to be responding well and the paces on the workouts are dropping, but I could also add in some more easy miles if it would make a big difference.

60 mpw to 80-85 mpw is a huge jump within a season. How about sticking at 70-75, staying consistent with that, and seeing where that puts you on race day?

Save the 80s for next year and give your body a chance to adapt.

If you've been doing that schedule @ 75mpw for ~4 weeks, I would say you can build higher... but do so conservatively. (I would take a down week soon and take one every few weeks as you build). I would aim to hit peak mileage ~10 weeks prior to the marathon.

Building mileage, I would focus much more on "easy", long running and switch those mile workouts for strides, hill sprints, etc. in the beginning. Right now, focus on building mileage, staying healthy, and building a base on which to build your harder work as the marathon approaches. Right now, you should really be in a "base phase" prepping you for Raleigh. In my opinion, you have too much work in your schedule at this point. As you get closer, long steady efforts (especially MP and LT) need to become your bread and butter.

sub250 wrote:

Rock n Roll Raleigh

60 is my highest consistent average mileage although I've hit 70 at times.

Something like this is pretty representative, although of course I'd do more threshold and specific work closer to the race:

Su - 10 moderate

M - 5 am 5 pm

T - 2 mi. warmup, 5x1mile, 3' rest, 2 mi. cooldown

W - 10 moderate

Th - 2 mi. warmup, 2x2mile, 5' jog recovery, 1mi cooldown in am, 4 easy pm

F - 5 am 5 pm

S - 15-18 steady, sometimes would do as progression or 2nd half fartlek

I seem to be responding well and the paces on the workouts are dropping, but I could also add in some more easy miles if it would make a big difference.

Perhaps you could add a cross training workout on Sunday. Maybe a soft ride with the bike.

I take it you don't believe in periodization?