Sub 3 Marathon @ Marshall University Marathon?

You got it, proper tapering, proper pacing and using a fuel during race to avoid bonking will get you there.

Good luck

I agree with Pretzel Man that you can do it. The biggest "if" is proper pacing.

If this is your first marathon you'll learn a lot.

Don't be a hero and stay on pace (even if you feel amazing) until at least 18 or 19 miles. Then see if you can pick it up.

I've seen first time marathoners who want to break three feel great at 12 miles and start dropping 6:40s, only to fade badly from 21 onwards and end up around 3:05. I also did that my first marathon and it was not pleasant.

Weather is also a factor, but you can't control that.

Try negative splitting, i've run a 2.59 marathon last sunday. First half in 1.30.36, last half in 1.29.18. Felt super.

Mincus8 wrote:

My goal is a sub 3 hour marathon. Training has been around 65-70 Miles per week for the marathon. Includes MP running, tempos and the long run. My "best" workouts in this cycle was a 10 Miler @ MP run under 1:07 and a 20 miler in 2:22:00 flat (about 4.5 miles at MP in between). This was in the heaviest week in the cycle and on tired legs. I have never ran this kind of milage as avg weeks for 10km / half marathon training is around 44 miles. Should be noted I ran a half m in June in 1:23:28. Is sub 3 unreasonable? Or should I adjust my goal and say sub 3:05 is more realistic? Nov 6 is coming fast!

i ran a number of sub 3's with a HM PR of 1:24 so it definitely can be done.

as always, depends on the day.

the weather, the course, how you feel, taper, etc.

is this your first full? or well seasoned?

Did the 10 miles feel like grim work toward the end or fairly controlled? I ran a pretty similar kind of plan - consistent higher mileage than I was used to and long MP tempos - before my last marathon and it went well. A key indicator for me was to run my 10-mile MP runs and, even though I was somewhat tired going in, feel like I could definitely have kept going.

I should mention this is my First marathon.

Felt controlled. I was tired because of all the milage but I could have kept going.

Mincus8 wrote:

I should mention this is my First marathon.

hmmm.. that may change things.

how many > 20 mile runs have you done?

everyone is different, but my experience...my best fulls were ones where i had a solid 4-5 > 20 mile runs. i'm sure people will come on a say they did a sub 3 with no > 20 mile runs, and i believe them. for me, having the experience of being in the pain zone, of being hurting on my feet, was critical. its a whole different world post 20. the wheels just start coming off. you have to learn to embrace the pain, make peace with it. understand it will end soon. but be ready.

also, think thru fueling. what are you taking. have experience with it. a full requires water and fuel vs. a half. i literally don't even drink at a half at this point but sure need to at many fulls. sometimes its just a few ounces with GU but always something.

be prepared for the time it takes to start/wait in bus/coral, etc vs. rolling out of bed and hitting the road. think about how to make sure your fuel is topped off.

good luck! also though, try to enjoy it. a full is always hard. always. but some are (kinda) enjoyable. and finally, know your 2nd and 3rd etc will be way easier. the first is hard. it gets easier.

you have to learn to embrace the pain, make peace with it. understand it will end soon. but be ready.

Very, very well said

Convexity wrote:

you have to learn to embrace the pain, make peace with it. understand it will end soon. but be ready.

Very, very well said

ahh schucks! :-)

Assuming no injuries, assuming no bonking, assuming no horrendous weather issues, assuming that the course is similar to the courses on which you ran your half marathon, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that your goal should be anything other than sub 3:00.

Now, I have listed a lot of variables there, but there is nothing that you can do to control those variables; so focus on what you can control. From your post, it sounds like you have a good handle on things as you have done mp runs, plenty of tempo work, some good long runs and have generally upped your mileage. So I am going to assume that you will properly taper, that you will carbo load, get good sleep and run a smart pace. If I were in your position, I would go out at 2:55 pace (6:40), maybe a couple of second per mile slower, and run steady. As others have posted, it will likely feel pretty easy through 18 or 20, then it will not. Make sure you have a good nutrition plan so that you avoid bonking Plenty of threads on that subject on these boards.

Good luck - it seems you have done everything right.

I have run several 15 miles, one 18 mile, two 20 miles and one more 20 miler planned this Sunday and then taper time. I have been practicing fueling the night before, morning of, and during my long runs. Water, Gatorade (which they will be serving on the course) and power gels (strawberry banana) is what I will be fuelling with during my marathon. I will carbo - load starting 3 days out from the marathon and hopefully get a good nights sleep. I will be travelling 12 hours by car from Ontario to Huntington, West Virginia the day before the marathon so that's my only worry..... But the day after the marathon I am going to vegas so I just need to run a Sub 3 and Bob's your Uncle.

mincus8 wrote:

I have run several 15 miles, one 18 mile, two 20 miles and one more 20 miler planned this Sunday and then taper time. I have been practicing fueling the night before, morning of, and during my long runs. Water, Gatorade (which they will be serving on the course) and power gels (strawberry banana) is what I will be fuelling with during my marathon. I will carbo - load starting 3 days out from the marathon and hopefully get a good nights sleep. I will be travelling 12 hours by car from Ontario to Huntington, West Virginia the day before the marathon so that's my only worry..... But the day after the marathon I am going to vegas so I just need to run a Sub 3 and Bob's your Uncle.

you got this! run smart. run hard. good luck.

Other than maybe a couple of more 20 milers and maybe a 22 miler, I really don't know what else you could have done to prepare yourself, and even those comments are just quibbling - 3 20 milers is definitely enough. If you don't go for 2:56, I feel you should be punched in the nads.

Now you get to experience the most challenging part - trying to have it all come together on race day.

Good luck, and update us in a couple of weeks.

Smoove wrote:

Other than maybe a couple of more 20 milers and maybe a 22 miler, I really don't know what else you could have done to prepare yourself, and even those comments are just quibbling - 3 20 milers is definitely enough. If you don't go for 2:56, I feel you should be punched in the nads.

Now you get to experience the most challenging part - trying to have it all come together on race day.

Good luck, and update us in a couple of weeks.

Training for a marathon your longest run should be 26 miles or longer.

Do other distances train for their races by only running 77% of the distance during training?

Smoove wrote:

If you don't go for 2:56, I feel you should be punched in the nads.

.

Stupidity like this is why runners crash and burn.

You are clearly is good enough shape for 3 hours. My suggestion would be as follows.

Run the first 3 miles at 7 minute pace. After that start running consistent 6:50s to get to halfway right at 1:30. Keep running 6:50s until 18 miles. That will put you at 2:03:30. At this point it is time to start racing. No reason you can't start dropping down in the 6:40s at this point. You can make up a lot of time in the last 8 miles. If you feel great, you can get in the 2:58 range, if you start feeling kind of crappy, you can still get under 3 hours.

Flounder wrote:

Smoove wrote:

Other than maybe a couple of more 20 milers and maybe a 22 miler, I really don't know what else you could have done to prepare yourself, and even those comments are just quibbling - 3 20 milers is definitely enough. If you don't go for 2:56, I feel you should be punched in the nads.

Now you get to experience the most challenging part - trying to have it all come together on race day.

Good luck, and update us in a couple of weeks.

Training for a marathon your longest run should be 26 miles or longer.

Do other distances train for their races by only running 77% of the distance during training?

I broke 3:00 with a longest run 22 miles. I did 11 miles+10 miles @6:45 once and lots of 10 mile tempo runs. I took many gels and smashed 3:00. It felt surprisingly easy. If you want to go under 2:50, longer runs like 24 miles would help.

OP, you got this. Carry and take at least 5 gels.

Last piece of advice. You have to believe 100% you can do it off a negative split. The mental aspect is huge. Have no doubts you can do it. With that half time and your training, you got it. Do you believe you got it? Asking here shows doubt. Erase that doubt.

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement! My confidence is up and I'm ready for sub3! I'll def try and negative split and the plan is to go out 1:29-1:30 ish and fight to the finish! Just gotta remember that the pain will end. It's a loop course that's fairy flat. I will also stuff my pockets with about 5 gels!