Can I run a sub 3 hour marathon?

Not going to happen.

Your half and 10k times aren't fast enough. Your 3:12 is probably slightly better than your 1:32, but not by much. You need to get down to 1:25-1:26 and 38-39. If your goal is sub-3, don't waste your time with an attempt until you can run 38-39 for 10K.

I completely agree with "not fast enough". You aren't as close to sub-3 as you might think. If you can get down to a 38 minute 10k you might have a shot...might.

Your progression this year suggests that it is possible with increased mileage. I have seen "new" runners continue to improve through their mid-40s.

My own experience, after many years of on-again, off-again running, was NO improvement after age 43. After starting to train seriously again at 41, and seeing huge gains for two years, my race times stagnated.

At that point, the training, at best, merely held off the inevitable decline with age.

Well yes, you are of course correct that I couldn't do it Today, my times are not close to fast enough. But how about in 7 months? You don't think that is enough time to get my 10K to 38-39 or my half to 1:25-1:26?

I realize it would not be easy, but are you saying you don't think it is possible in 7 months?

I'm in my 30s but have experienced a similar progression. The bad news is that I have found trying to go from 3:10 to 3:00 is about three times as difficult as it was going from 3:40 to 3:10. You've got the low hanging fruit, now the higher stuff is going to be much tougher.

Well that is good to hear. Basically as I see it this is my last chance ever to do it. Both the obvious fact that I'm getting older and because this January to march my work schedule is going to be very light, so this will be my last chance to really train my hardest going into a may race. So, it's now or never.

Well to be quite honest my 3:12 was actually pretty easy, my goal for that race was 3:30, and I was only running ~65k a week for the six months before. So 3 times harder you say? Bring it, I can do 3 times harder.

Yes, you can.

You are going to need to significantly increase your mileage (maybe double it) without getting hurt, and as you say lose at least 10 lbs (the mileage increase will help but you might have to calorie count also).

All easy miles to build volume for the first three months then try something like an 18 week Pfitzinger.

If you do lots of proper workouts including tempos, intervals, easy days, you don't have much to gain. If you were just going out and running without a plan, you still have a lot to gain. Combine that with more milage and youd be there.

Yes, you'll have to see how you progress with the shorter races, but I'm still saying it's possible.

I followed the Pfitzinger-Douglas training schedules for 5K and 10K, dropping my 5K from 19-plus minutes to sub-18 over just a few months. This was at age 42.

A year later I followed the marathon schedule, and easily ran 2:56. By then I had been racing 5KS a couple times a month, consistently at 17:30.

It sounds like you've been focusing on endurance (ironman!), and with no youthful racing history, you may have no idea of what you're capable for the shorter distances.

Incorporate VO2-max and LT workouts while increasing weekly mileage ... see how you do ... then move on to specific marathon training.

My advice would be to focus on the 10k specifically instead of the marathon. You will have to run a 42:40 10k 4 times in a row. That is very tough to impossible to do with 41 minute 10k speed. Once you've pushed your 10k down, then re-evaluate your marathon. There is some other good advice here too. Learn to listen to your body when ramping up the mileage, and stay injury free. Good luck.

Chillin wrote:

Well to be quite honest my 3:12 was actually pretty easy, my goal for that race was 3:30

Something doesn't really compute here. You lined up at the start ready to run 8:00 pace and ran 7:20 pace instead? Walk me through that, how does that happen?

You can do it. I'm a few years younger (39) but last March I ran 3:34 off 65km/week. In July last year I ran 2:55, 2:56 in Oct, 2:47 in July this year and 2:51 last week.

I'm 5'10" and dropped my weight from 155 to 128 (yes, really), smashed out lots of LT workouts and increased mileage to 85km per week (for the 2:55 and 2:56) and 110km per week (for the 2:47 and 2:51).

And while I don't disagree that you need 38-minute 10km pace to go sub-three, my 10km PR now is only 37-flat when it should be a lot quicker to run a 2:47. Clearly I'm better at endurance and you might be the same.

Best of luck.

Yes, I guess that wasn't very clear. During training my goal was 3:30 (10 minutes faster than my PR. Then a couple days before my marathon I looked up the BQ standards for my age and it was 3:15 and since I felt like 3:30 should be easy, I figured why not try for that. I figured I'd follow the 3:15 pacer and see how that feels for the first 10k or so. ...then on race day I got to the packed coral late and couldn't find the 3:15 pacer, but I saw the 3:00 pacer so I figured I'd follow him if it felt good for a while until it opened up and I saw the 3:15 pacer. Well I ended up following the 3:00 pacer for the first 25 km or so and never ended up see the 3:15 pacer at all. (Half splits were 1:33, 1:39).

So basically I trained for 3:30, last minute changed my mind and intended to try for 3:15, followed the wrong pacer and beat both my targets... So lots of stupid decisions that worked together to get me a 28 minute PR. :)

But this time I intend on training and racing smart, not just changing plans on a whim like that.

Wow, that's an impressive progression for someone pushing 40. That's encouraging to hear.

Hey all,

I would like to ask the same question here. I'm attempting my second marathon in two weeks (flat terrain). My first one was 4 years ago, 03:00:52. Just missed out on a sub 3. After four years of having kids, work,... I decided to run a marathon again. I have been on and off training in the past years, doing swimming and running also.

Four years ago I was pretty well trained, I did 4 half ironmans in the preceding months, though no really long runs. The longest were 21k during the half ironmans. I averaged 35k of running (three times per week) back then, supplemented with three runs and 2-3 swims, adding up to about 12-13 hours of training per week.

On my first marathon I bombed at 32k, probably not being used to running the long distance. I felt good, but it was just over and out for my legs.

This time I've had pretty much less training :-), no cycling no swimming, but again three runs per week, of which the last one of 32k. On average I ran about 40k (but 65k per week in the last two weeks). I ran a half marathon one month ago (1:21) and a 5k one week ago (17:36).

How much of a chance would you say I have at going sub 3? I'm already happy with 2:57 for example.

Amazing times given how little training you're doing. I guess the old training has really hung around in your system.

It's a bit of a crapshoot given how little you're running whether those faster times will translate. I think you should go for Sub 3, but I can't rule out that you completely blow up and run 3:15+.

Chillin wrote:

Me:

42 years old

156.0 lbs (maxed out at 210 lbs 5 years ago), 5'8".

...

Marathon: 3:12:26

All of these were achieved this year.

...

2016: 3:12:26 - Knocked 28:16 off my PR mainly just by upping my mileage a bit (roughly 65km/wk leading up to the marathon)

2017: ??? - This will be on May 7, 2017 so I have 7 months to prepare

So my double question is: Can I go sub 3? How?

Lose 10-15lbs?

Up my weekly mileage to 100km/week? 100 miles/week?

Would any sort of strength training program help?

Is there a marathon training plan that you would recommend for me? Or should I customize one to my needs?

I am willing to do whatever it takes to run sub 3 hours, just not really sure what to do to get there in 7 months...

I ran a similar time as yours of 3:13. I then trained another 7 months and got it down to 3:07. I then trained another 2 months and got it down to 3:04. So, I think that you can get in the 3:04 - 3:07 range, if you train at 70-80 mpw (113 - 129 km/wk) over the next 7 months.

RW published a study stating that you can run 52 seconds faster in a marathon for every pound you lose. So, this would be 5-8 lbs.

As for training, you need at least 15% (most BQers), preferably 25% (avg. for 2004 OT qualifiers), of your mileage at a 6:52 pace or faster. So, plan on 20% or 15 miles per week at

gregmacd wrote:

I ran a similar time as yours of 3:13. I then trained another 7 months and got it down to 3:07. I then trained another 2 months and got it down to 3:04. So, I think that you can get in the 3:04 - 3:07 range, if you train at 70-80 mpw (113 - 129 km/wk) over the next 7 months.

RW published a study stating that you can run 52 seconds faster in a marathon for every pound you lose. So, this would be 5-8 lbs.

As for training, you need at least 15% (most BQers), preferably 25% (avg. for 2004 OT qualifiers), of your mileage at a 6:52 pace or faster. So, plan on 20% or 15 miles per week at

BRO, DON'T LEAVE US HANGING, AT "..."?? WHAT HAPPENED, ARE YOU OK???