I ran 2:30:52 back in 2015 just shy of my 44th birthday. I thought it might be worthwhile to post the quality days from my training for that training cycle. Mileage ranged form 55 to 100 mpw during this stretch. I just about broke down, so this log differs from my initial plan quite a bit, especially the last 3 weeks or so, when I mostly shut things down to avoid serious burnout.
5 x1200 @ 5k pace w/3:00 active rest
2 x 1600 (4:59 5:08), 3:30 passive rest; 3 x 1000 (3:12-3:13) 3:00 passive rest
3 miles up, 4 miles tempo (5:38.5), 3 miles down
4 x mile (treadmill/track) 5:07 (4:00 active), 5:07 (transition to track), 5:14 (4:52), 5:04
2 mile warm up; 5 x 1600m (5:22.6) cruise intervals; 8 miles easy
18.5 miles easy
4th of July 4 miler (20:28)
6 x 1000 @ 3:08 with 3:00 active rest
2.75 mile warm up; 2 x 2 mile cruise intervals (5:27, 5:21; 2:00; 5:19, 5:31); 7 miles easy
6 x 1200 @ 3:40.65 w/3:00 active rest
2 mile warm up; 5 x 1 mile with 1:00 rest (5:17 (t), 5:12 (r), 5:20 (t), 5:17 (r), 5:19 (t); 8 miles easy
2 miles up; 4 x 2 miles tempo - 10:48 (LD)(2:02); 10:53 (G)(2:20); 11:10 (G)(2:57); 11:12 (LD); 2 miles down
21 miles easy
2 mi up; 4 x 1 mile (5:15, 5:08, 5:13, 5:12) w/1:00 rest; 5:00 rest; 3 x 1 mile (5:14, 5:14, 5:14) w/1:00 rest; 2 mi down
2 mi up; 4 x 1 mile (5:24, 5:04, 5:13, 5:07) w/:60-:80 rest; 8 mi easy; 20 min tempo (5:25); 2.3 down
2 mi up; 3 mi tempo (5:11, 5:26, 5:26); 3:00 rest; 3 mi tempo (5:12, 5:19, 5:42); 3:00 rest; 1 mi tempo (5:29); 1:30 rest; 1 mi tempo (5:25)
ABORTED MARATHON PACED RUN: 2 mile warm up; 6 miles @ marathon pace (5:35); 6 miles easy
5k (15:28.5)
20.25 miles easy
2 mi up; 7 x 1 mile at tempo (5:26, 5:23, 5:23, 5:25, 5:25, 5:27, 5:25, 5:33) (5:26 avg) w/1:00 rest; 3.75 down
2 mile warm up; 2 x 2 mi tempo w/2:00 rest (10:27.8, 10:42.7); 10.25 easy; 2 mi tempo (11:03); 3.75 easy
2 mi up; 3 x 2 mile tempo [(10:53.5), (11:02.2), (11:06)] w/2:00 rest, 2 x 1 mile tempo (5:32.4, 5:28.3) w/1:00 rest; 2 mi down
2 mi up; 9 mi @ mp (5:42); 3:00 rest; 2mi @ mp (5:40); 2:00 rest; 1 mi @ mp (5:46?); 2 mi down
Aborted tempo - 8 miles easy
22 miles easy
8.75 mi up; 6 x 1 mi [5:22, (1:00), 5:19 (1:00), 5:24 (1:00), 5:31 (3:00), 5:25 (2:00), 5:28]; 1.25 down
5k (16:09)
11 miles total; 5 x Lake Davis moderate
13.1 miles @ marathon pace (1:15:35) - felt like half marathon race effort
3 miles easy, 2 miles tempo (5:20, 5:28 - was supposed to be 3), 2 miles easy, 1 mile tempo (was supposed to be 3 - 5:33 was 5k race pace), 5 miles easy
22 miles easy
1.5 up; 3 x 1 mile tempo (5:22 (1:00), 5:28 (:90), 5:33 (:90) .5 uphill at 5:40); .75 down
Accelerating pace run (6:45, 6:31, 6:15, 5:50, 5:36, 5:29, 6:51, 6:53, 6:59, 7:12)
2.25 mi up; 4 x 1200 @ tempo pace (3:57, 3:52, 3:57, 3:55) w/2:00 rest; 1 mi down