2:40-2:45 Marathon

I've run 5 between 2:42 and 2:47. I was in about the same shape for all 5, the biggest difference being weather conditions. I typically peak out around 100-110 miles four weeks before the race. Key indicators workouts are:

(1) 2 or 3 long untapered marathon pace runs (14-16 miles) around 6:20-6:25 pace.

(2) 10 x 1 mile with 1 min rest around 5:45 pace (I averaged 5:39 before the 2:42)

(3) 3 x 3 mile tempo w 3 min rest averaging 5:50 per mile.

(4) Two weeks before running 2:42 I ran 35:48 for 10k (solo on track) on untapered legs.

Good luck. I'll be running the Houston Half.

50-55 per week

No workouts- just running

Long runs- 15,15,17,17,18

I ran the first 10 miles of my LR's at 6:00 pace (my goal pace for the marathon) then I hung on.

It took my 20:00 to run the last 2.2 of the marathon.

Looking back I should have done some 800 meter repeat workouts.

But, all in all, I hate the marathon.

angryjohnny wrote:

I've run 5 between 2:42 and 2:47. I was in about the same shape for all 5, the biggest difference being weather conditions. I typically peak out around 100-110 miles four weeks before the race. Key indicators workouts are:

(1) 2 or 3 long untapered marathon pace runs (14-16 miles) around 6:20-6:25 pace.

(2) 10 x 1 mile with 1 min rest around 5:45 pace (I averaged 5:39 before the 2:42)

(3) 3 x 3 mile tempo w 3 min rest averaging 5:50 per mile.

(4) Two weeks before running 2:42 I ran 35:48 for 10k (solo on track) on untapered legs.

Good luck. I'll be running the Houston Half.

Thanks! This is great advice. You hit the mileage hard. I'm trying to build up to 80. Good Luck at Houston, I hope we have better weather this year than last. What's your goal for the 1/2?

It's still early but sub 1:17 would be nice.

I've run 2h41 under 60 mpw. My average was probably ~ 50-55 for a build-up of 15 weeks.

I've run a Half-Marathon halfway through in 1h15:50, and an year before that ran my best 10k in 33:45.

a typical week for me would have the following workouts:

easy runs - 2-3 / week, literally no rule here, could run as fast as 6:30 or as slow as 9:00 depending on how I was feeling.

track - a favorite one was 4 x 2 miles. Also did 5 x 2000m, 6 x Mile and so on. My pace was roughly 3:25 / km for these.

tempo - I averaged roughly 6:05-6:10 for these workouts. Went up to 15 miles. Would alternate weeks by running faster and shorter, like 10-12k @ 5:50 and slower and longer like the mentioned 25k @ 6:10.

long run - I've hit more than 30k for a total of 6 workouts. I used to run some 5-6 miles @ MP in the middle of these workouts.

good luck!

I ran 2:45 this year (and I'm female, which I am assuming you are as well).

I ran 6-8 straight weeks of 80-85 mpw

3 x 20-22 mile runs. Two of those runs had 8-10 miles @ 6:20-6:30 after about half-way

2-3 runs of 12-13 miles @ goal marathon pace (one was a failed 2:45 marathon attempt that I quit at half-way).

Other workouts to throw in there: 6-8 x a mile with 60-90 rest. 3x3 mile @ 6:00~ with 2-3 rest between.

Good luck!

Most of the cycle at 80ish range, with peaks at 90-100. 35-something 10k.

Momthathasrun245 wrote:

I ran 2:45 this year (and I'm female, which I am assuming you are as well).

I ran 6-8 straight weeks of 80-85 mpw

3 x 20-22 mile runs. Two of those runs had 8-10 miles @ 6:20-6:30 after about half-way

2-3 runs of 12-13 miles @ goal marathon pace (one was a failed 2:45 marathon attempt that I quit at half-way).

Other workouts to throw in there: 6-8 x a mile with 60-90 rest. 3x3 mile @ 6:00~ with 2-3 rest between.

Good luck!

Thank you! I'll try some of those. Which Marathon did you do?

I ran three marathons between 2:48 and 2:42 in the course of five months back in 1991 (also female). My marathon progressions for the year that included those three were:

October 1990, 3:08 (should have been about 3:04 but took a wrong turn 2 miles before the finish)

January 1991, 2:53 (at Houston)

Early May 1991, 2:45:16, just missed OTQ

Mid-June 1991, 2:47:xx

October 1991, 2:42:50, got my OTQ

I was running 75-90 mpw. Typically ran in the early morning every day, most of it pretty unstructured running. Typically I would do a double one weekday, with the second run being a track workout, quarter-mile or occasionally mile intervals. Weekly long runs of at least 16-18 miles and up to about 23.

I got injured in December 1991 and was never the same runner again. Good luck in Houston and enjoy it while you can!

amkelley wrote:

I ran three marathons between 2:48 and 2:42 in the course of five months back in 1991 (also female). My marathon progressions for the year that included those three were:

October 1990, 3:08 (should have been about 3:04 but took a wrong turn 2 miles before the finish)

January 1991, 2:53 (at Houston)

Early May 1991, 2:45:16, just missed OTQ

Mid-June 1991, 2:47:xx

October 1991, 2:42:50, got my OTQ

I was running 75-90 mpw. Typically ran in the early morning every day, most of it pretty unstructured running. Typically I would do a double one weekday, with the second run being a track workout, quarter-mile or occasionally mile intervals. Weekly long runs of at least 16-18 miles and up to about 23.

I got injured in December 1991 and was never the same runner again. Good luck in Houston and enjoy it while you can!

Thank you! I enjoyed seeing your progression. How far were your usual easy runs?

Runn3rgirl wrote:

amkelley wrote:

I ran three marathons between 2:48 and 2:42 in the course of five months back in 1991 (also female). My marathon progressions for the year that included those three were:

October 1990, 3:08 (should have been about 3:04 but took a wrong turn 2 miles before the finish)

January 1991, 2:53 (at Houston)

Early May 1991, 2:45:16, just missed OTQ

Mid-June 1991, 2:47:xx

October 1991, 2:42:50, got my OTQ

I was running 75-90 mpw. Typically ran in the early morning every day, most of it pretty unstructured running. Typically I would do a double one weekday, with the second run being a track workout, quarter-mile or occasionally mile intervals. Weekly long runs of at least 16-18 miles and up to about 23.

I got injured in December 1991 and was never the same runner again. Good luck in Houston and enjoy it while you can!

Thank you! I enjoyed seeing your progression. How far were your usual easy runs?

I generally ran around 10 miles per day on my easy days. 10 miles per day 5 days a week, 10-16 miles total on the days that I doubled, and one long run of 16-23 miles.

I don't know how fast you are at the short distances, but I'm living proof that you can run a reasonably fast marathon without having any speed. I could never break 18 minutes for 5K, and my 10K PR was 36:44. But when well trained and with good weather, I could stretch it out to 26 miles without slowing down very much.

amkelley wrote:

Runn3rgirl wrote:

Thank you! I enjoyed seeing your progression. How far were your usual easy runs?

I generally ran around 10 miles per day on my easy days. 10 miles per day 5 days a week, 10-16 miles total on the days that I doubled, and one long run of 16-23 miles.

I don't know how fast you are at the short distances, but I'm living proof that you can run a reasonably fast marathon without having any speed. I could never break 18 minutes for 5K, and my 10K PR was 36:44. But when well trained and with good weather, I could stretch it out to 26 miles without slowing down very much.

wow! That's amazing. I bet if you would have trained for shorter distances you could have easily broken 18 minutes. I'm decently speedy at shorter races from Mile-Half Marathon. 4:52 mile, just under 1:15 for the half at my very best. I'm not in that type of shape right now. I'm currently in high 16- low 17 5k shape & 1:18- 1:19hm shape. I got really burned out towards the end of the summer and took some time off. Looks like you are a natural marathoner. I'm not lol!

This is one of the most insightful training threads I've seen on here recently. There's a variety of training methods too. I'm also aiming for a 'thon in this range.

I ran 2:44 in September. Mileage was in the 80's for about 8 weeks before the race and 60-70's for another 10-12 weeks before that. Doubled 4 times a week. Ran six days a week. Ran a good long run each week 18-24 miles. One week the long run would have 10-16 miles hard the next week would just be a steady long run at 6:50-7:00 per mile. I would alternate one other hard workout each week between a hard 8 miler one week and the next week mile or two mile repeats. Sometimes the hard long run would get broken into 3 x 3 miles or 4 x 3 or 4 x 4 miles hard with mile or half mile recovery. I ran maybe six half mile repeats every 3-4 weeks. Ran a 1:18 half in June and 57:45 10 mile 2 weeks before the race.

This was from Spring 2013, but here's my log from before a 2:40:xx at Boston that year:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NGy2l6k-nmCbZVbejRL475T5Q6mMUcNwFEdwhO2w5TA/edit?usp=sharing

Looks like average mileage ~70, peak in the mid 80s. Lots of tempos around 5:50 pace early, 5:45 later, with a few cruise intervals dipping under 5:40.

15K in 54:57, 10K in 36:44, half in 1:15:36.

I'm a dude so who knows whether mileage requirements match up, but the workout paces should be close. Good luck in Houston!

Linked to the wrong tab, here is the Boston 2013 training: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NGy2l6k-nmCbZVbejRL475T5Q6mMUcNwFEdwhO2w5TA/edit#gid=0

AndyDufresne2 thanks a bunch for posting this. Good thread, subscribed.

AndyDufresne2 wrote:

Linked to the wrong tab, here is the Boston 2013 training:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NGy2l6k-nmCbZVbejRL475T5Q6mMUcNwFEdwhO2w5TA/edit#gid=0

Can't wait to take a look at it. Thank you!

Awesome thread.

16:30 5k, 35:00-flat 10k, 1:16-mid half marathon.

8-12 weeks at 80-100+

4 long runs with tempos of 8 @ 5:50, 10 @ 6:00, 12 and 13 miles @ 6:00-6:05

5 long runs total over 20 including a couple of the above and then a couple more, getting down to 6:20-30 pace by the end of them, 3 more at 18 miles

Workouts: 3 x 3 miles @ 5:50s, 2 x 5 miles @ 6:00-flat, 15x1km w./ short rest in the 3:30s, 4 miles 23:00-2 miles 11:20-2 x mile 5:30, 10 x 3:00 tempo (1:00 jogs), hills/tempo combo- ex- 4 x hill, 2 mile tempo, 4 x hill, 2 mile tempo

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. Get your OTQ!!!