I want to BQ.

I feel like for credibility's sake I need to mention I'm not expecting to BQ this spring. Next spring would be nice, though.

I was in your boat for a long time. Your running of a 1:55 HM was my baseline fitness, meaning I could get no slower than that regardless of how little I ran. The trouble is, I only put in 25-30 mile weeks and ran a lot of ~3:55 marathons. I was also running whatever pace I felt, often too fast. I'm 6'3, 160 so I was clearly underperforming.

I have now run 2:57. Took 10 months to get there.

The thing that changed it for me was consistency, building a large base for several months and high mileage.

I ran it off the Pfitz 18/85 plan, but that was after building to 60 mpw for 5 months prior. To build this base I used a HRM and kept my pacing under 160BPM. Overtime, my aerobic pace dropped considerably. This took tremendous discipline. Lots of slow running takes patience, but it pays off.

By the time I started the plan, I was ready for the harder workouts - temps, intervals, marathon pace runs, etc.

I literally committed to this goal and made it the #1 priority in my life for my time outside of work.

My plan at the moment is to follow Pete Pfitzinger's 45 mpw base schedule, then the 55mpw 5k schedule, the 60mpw base schedule, and the 70mpw 5k schedule before getting into his 70mpw marathon one. I figure this will give me a good amount of aerobic running over the course of this year with plenty of faster workouts, too - and a much more gradual build up to what for me at this point seems like epic Herculean mileage.

Do you really need that much mileage to BQ? I suppose for the 18-34 male age group. Otherwise, 70mpw would be more for sub 3:00.

You do need 3:02 for 18-34 even though BQ is 3:05 if you really want to get into Boston. You need to compensate for all the applicants.

50mpw should be fine wrote:

Do you really need that much mileage to BQ? I suppose for the 18-34 male age group. Otherwise, 70mpw would be more for sub 3:00.

You do need 3:02 for 18-34 even though BQ is 3:05 if you really want to get into Boston. You need to compensate for all the applicants.

Maybe I could have done it off less, but I wanted the confidence to be over prepared and not wondering if I could do it in the weeks before and asking everyone I know if I am ready.

I could have run a bit faster perhaps, but it was worth it. It was only 18 weeks, and you aren't running 85 MPW all the time in the 18/85 plan. Lots of weeks in the 60s/70s.

How bad do you want it?

I ran my first BQ in 2015. The importance of building aerobic base by running long runs in Z2 heartrate zone has been mentioned. I would also like to suggest looking at energy sources - get rid of gluten and lactose in your diet, and tune your body to use fat as energy with inspiration from LCHF. Good luck!!

Here's the paperwork on aerobic base:

http://www.twentysixtwo.org/images/Slow_Down_to_Speed_Up_Part_1.pdf

http://www.twentysixtwo.org/images/Slow_Down_to_Speed_Up_Part_2.pdf

I want to BM

cmgeek wrote:

I ran my first BQ in 2015. The importance of building aerobic base by running long runs in Z2 heartrate zone has been mentioned.

I don't know. I guess I'm naturally slow. I'm wore a HRM for the first time on my long run and it was pinned at 128bpm for my entire long run without slowing down. 7:20 average moving pace. If anything, I'm running these long runs and easy runs too slow.

Pushing it up to 139bpm, the upper end of maffetone for my age (low 40s) would feel like sprinting and bring the pace to half marathon pace, 6:20s.

Is it possible to have the opposite problem? Most programs say people run their long runs too fast, but I think I need to pick up the pace in order to BQ?

I want BBQ...

Consistency is a critical part of training.

Look around for a local coach (See CoachUp, RRCA or USATF assuming the latter ones have searchable database of their respective certified coaches).

If you do not feel ok with a coach, then I suggest following Pfitzinger's plan for a full marathon cycle. It might take a while to get the marathon down to BQ time (or it might never happen).

luv2run wrote:

I want BBQ...

Consistency is a critical part of training.

Look around for a local coach (See CoachUp, RRCA or USATF assuming the latter ones have searchable database of their respective certified coaches).

If you do not feel ok with a coach, then I suggest following Pfitzinger's plan for a full marathon cycle. It might take a while to get the marathon down to BQ time (or it might never happen).

RRCA coaches are a joke. One and done marathoners who think they are now "experts" and sell regurgitated Hal Higdon plans.

Lots of good advice here. Just get started!

Smooches everybody. Love you ;)

Lots of boys attend Philips Exeter. Pedophile playground

Well Met! wrote:

the REAL Hingle McCringleberry wrote:

I want to BM

I'd recommend secret pally then.

I VOLUNTEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure what happened to my thread, but this is pretty sad. Can we discuss the OP please?