high mileage, minimal improvement, need advice

I should say that I've gone from 1:39 half (not really training in 2015) and 21 min 5k (2015), mile 6:10 (2015)---- to now 1:24 half PR, 18:20 5k and 5:27 mile (in practice in workout).

I should say that I've gone from 1:39 half (not really training in 2015) and 21 min 5k (2015), mile 6:10 (2015)---- to now 1:24 half PR, 18:20 5k and 5:27 mile (in practice in workout).

I'm not qualified to give you training advice, so consider this a free thread bump.

As for the last sentence in your post, there's a thread today about Allie Kieffer beating the CR for the Staten Island Half (1:10:58) as a tune-up for the NYC marathon in three weeks. She's 5'4" and, based on what she's said and written elsewhere, probably a good 10-20 pounds heavier than you are -- for what it's worth.

I'm 5'3 and 115# female.. I don't feel too heavy to run fast. Any runners doing well who are built like this?

Just 3 long runs of 18-20 miles is not much for serious marathon training. Try to do at least 10 weekly long runs of up to 22 miles in the next marathon build up, and ensure to run the last few miles at goal marathon pace at least every second long run. Start with last 3 miles at marathon pace and increase up to last 8 miles.

Some additional mid week 12-15 mile runs might help too.

Take contact with Coach JS for expert coaching.

Get a copy of Lydiard's, Running to the Top. You should be able to find at the library or on Amazon. he has schedules based on your current fitness to get to the next level or time. At your rate of fitness, you should easily be able to add his hill, tempo, and speed work. Good luck.

Running to the Top Sep 15, 2011

by Arthur Lydiard

Paperback

$17.27 $ 17 27 $18

OTQ is totally out of question. You don't have the talent for it!

That being said, you are not slow at all. 1:24 is a very good time for a girl. Many struggle to break 1:30 and are training hard too.

Unfortunately, none of your times (from mile to HM/marathon) signals a high VO2MAX - which ultimately determines the maximum you can reach. You can improve your marathon time to the equivalent of your other race times, which would be around 2:55 with proper training, as one previous poster recommended (more focus on long runs / 'big workouts'). Then you can shave off 5-10 more minutes.

But the OTQ time is 2:37, that's roughly your 5k PR time for 26 miles, I just don't see this happening anymore no matter what you do, considering you had a decade of good, solid endurance training and even a couple of years with 90 mpw.

1:24 off of sustained 90mpw?? Something is not quite right with your training. You should be faster than this. What is your typical training week like? As for weight, you are right where you want to be (perhaps a tad under weight).

M'aiq the Liar wrote:

1:24 off of sustained 90mpw?? Something is not quite right with your training. You should be faster than this. What is your typical training week like? As for weight, you are right where you want to be (perhaps a tad under weight).

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

300 calories is not a lot during the marathon- are you sure that is sufficient?

i know some marathons provide nutrition on the pattern you mentioned and have drinks with few to zero calories (CIM, I think, is an example), but that does not mean it's enough. That could be part of your issue.

If you do more long runs, you could try what Magness recommends- do half your long runs with nutrition (and figure out how much is enough), and half without (for the training effect of depletion)

more long runs with MP included wrote:

M'aiq the Liar wrote:

1:24 off of sustained 90mpw?? Something is not quite right with your training. You should be faster than this. What is your typical training week like? As for weight, you are right where you want to be (perhaps a tad under weight).

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

These are the kind of questions LRC lacks competence to answer, because their answer is always "run more miles". They seem to think that there is some kind of linear relationship between mileage and results.

ladyrunner12 wrote:

I'm 5'3 and 115# female.. I don't feel too heavy to run fast. Any runners doing well who are built like this?

My wife 5'2" 120lb, half PR 1:26:02, full 3:02. She has muscular build. Also girl on our run team got OTQ (2:40) with similar build.

I think OP should be happy with progress. Some people take 10 years for what she did in 2

well,, wrote:

more long runs with MP included wrote:

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

These are the kind of questions LRC lacks competence to answer, because their answer is always "run more miles". They seem to think that there is some kind of linear relationship between mileage and results.

You just made one of the very best comments at LRC for a deacade, haha! This is the case here…...to many runners and B- coaches thinks the solution always is more miles,haha! + 1 to YOU ! I as one of the great coaches just say mileage is not the only answer of how to reach your dreamgoals! :)

more long runs with MP included wrote:

M'aiq the Liar wrote:

1:24 off of sustained 90mpw?? Something is not quite right with your training. You should be faster than this. What is your typical training week like? As for weight, you are right where you want to be (perhaps a tad under weight).

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

Long runs are overrated. Alberto Salazar college log has him averaging about 100 MPW and did very few runs over 10 miles in length. Unless you are training for a marathon, there is no need to do a long run.

I'm 5'9 and 115-120 lbs throughout the season. I do well most of the season but I get injured very easily especially knee/quads.

Long runs are overrated wrote:

more long runs with MP included wrote:

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

Long runs are overrated. Alberto Salazar college log has him averaging about 100 MPW and did very few runs over 10 miles in length. Unless you are training for a marathon, there is no need to do a long run.

That`s true! I just confirm it.....

Long runs are overrated wrote:

more long runs with MP included wrote:

you don't know her talent level, so I don't agree that we know she "should be" faster.

The person who said to do more long runs and do them with MP finishes- I agree 100%. Three long runs is not enough, regardless of 90mpw.

Congratulations to OP for overcoming challenges and continuing to run, and to also run faster than a very high % of the running population.

Long runs are overrated. Alberto Salazar college log has him averaging about 100 MPW and did very few runs over 10 miles in length. Unless you are training for a marathon, there is no need to do a long run.

Ok, but- Did you read the original post in which she states her goal is the marathon?