Sub 2h30 Spring Marathon - The Quest for Amateur Glory is back!

rfm - If I did 10x3min right now with anything over 1min rest, it would probably be around 5:20 pace. if you're well rested I suspect you could progress that pace down a bit

You're right about the logic behind the max length of long runs. It's just about recovery. Maybe some marathoners can do 25-30 miles in training, just like some ultramarathoners might do runs close to their race distance (but not often over). For a 100 miler you probably only need to hit 35-40 in training, unless you do a 50 mile or 100k race in the buildup.

As for my 2:30 attempt, I know that I should probably just get it out of the way. but I'm not guaranteed success by any means. This 50 miler I'm doing has been on my list for a while and I think winning it could be good for me, and potentially good for my "career". This race is a certain style, a fast course that isn't boring or all road, and it's local, so I can learn the course very well. I almost bailed on racing Boston last year to jump into this 50 miler, so it's definitely been on my mind. I still have a lot of the spring and early summer free if I feel like doing a marathon. There's a net downhill, low key marathon at the end of May that I may do with a couple friends. Would need to run a couple minutes under 2:30 on that course to be happy with it.

immunorunner, I agree that 9:10 should be doable for sure. Just lock into those 73s and don't lose focus after the 1600 split.

So I have a tempo run scheduled that I usually do on Friday, but am probably going to take the day off and push it to Saturday because I came down with a fever.

Here's the workout - 3 mi tempo, 2 min jog, 2 mi tempo, 2 min jog, 1 mi tempo

There is a local 5K race on Saturday that I would have a bib to if I wanted. I figure it would be a great way to do the 3 mi tempo portion. Has anybody ever mixed in a tempo in a shorter race? I'm wondering how I'd continue my workout after finishing the race. Just plow through the finish line, get my 2 min recovery and hit the 2 mile tempo or what?

I vote to plow through Forest Gump style through the end zone

just do 3.1 for the first section so you have 2min to get out of the finisher zone to continue your workout. then take off your bib or remove the shirt so you don't confuse all the other folks

Thanks for the advice, fellas.

Only tricky part is that it's held in a walled-off park that the only way out is either at the mile mark of the race or up and over walking overpass with a ton of steps.

Don't forget to collect your finisher medal, grab some orange slices and check out the sponsor tents before the 2mi portion.

Sorry for crashing your thread wrote:

Don't forget to collect your finisher medal, grab some orange slices and check out the sponsor tents before the 2mi portion.

I fully plan on grabbing at least 3 beers in my 2 min jog portion too!

Thank you guys, for incentives and wisdom sharing.

Tyler - good luck on your workout / race. I'll be honest, I tried that once and it didn't work as I did not follow the pace and raced rather than prioritising the workout. As I result I couldn't continue after crossing the line. Controlled efforts in races hardly works for me, and I admire those able to do it.

Due to time constraints I was not able to tempo for 10 miles today, and did a 10k instead in 35.30. Exactly target Marathon race pace. It was fairly comfortable. But my body is overall very tired. Happy with the result of my training for the past two weeks, but time to rest and will take the day off tomorrow, before a long and easy run on Sunday.

Good weekend to you all!

Let us know how it worked out Tyler!

Report from my last week, 14 weeks until Ottawa:

Sunday: weights

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 18mi w/10mi reg into 10x3:00on2:00off, averaged 6:14 this segment

Wednesday: 14mi reg

Thursday: 18mi, 3up, 4@22:56, 4 reg, 4@22:50, 3down

Friday: 14mi reg

Saturday: 23mi w/mi13-23 at 6:22 avg.

87mi week in 5 runs.

Thursday felt nice and controlled and glad I didn’t get after it too much today the second part of the long run. Mile repeats next Tuesday and a tempo with hills if I can find them here in Indiana on Thursday. Will play by ear. My body finally feels adjusted to running the new volume as I was at 65 last cycle for half training and is holding up nicely.

Good news: I won in 16:19. It was a shade under 5K (3.07 mi). I felt under control and stayed at tempo pace the entire time.

Bad news: I hit slightly slower than tempo pace on the 1st mile of my 2 mi segment and it felt like a Death March. I shut it down right there. Chose to do a longer cool down instead.

I underestimated just how much a fever can take its toll.

Nice work!

Yea, fevers are tough to bounce right back from. You still got in some work and the mileage.

rfmaioral wrote:

@David Wilson - keep building the solid mileage! With a 2h26/2h27 you should be able to finish close to the podium in Nantes?

Thanks, RFM: I had initially hoped for 2:26ish, but the past two months have not been up to scratch and I will be glad if I can squeeze under 2:30. Racing a half-marathon three weeks from now will give me a better idea of what to aim for.

I started out this week hobbling very slowly with the hip/hamstring strain, but it calmed down enough for a halfway-decent long run today (keeping company with this chap, who puts us all to shame in training:

). Next week, will try to do some moderate speedwork and a slightly longer run.

M - AM: 6 easy / Noon: 4 easy

T - AM: 7 easy / PM: 5 easy

W - AM: 8 moderate / Noon: 4 easy

T - 8 easy

F - AM: 8 easy + strides / PM: 5 moderate

S - AM: 7 easy / Noon: 4 moderate

S - 20 at moderate (~6:45) pace

Total - 86 miles

It's good to see everyone else putting in such good work.

Way to bounce back! 16:19 is a fast tempo.

Amatuer and David Wilson, really nice weeks. I've got to start finding the motivation to up the mileage, this week I think I'll raise it to about 70.

I decided at the last minute to switch to the 5k instead of the 3k yesterday. After a hot first 200 (34 and 72 and at the 400), I reigned it in and ran 5:02, 5:04, 5:09 for a 2 sec PR of 15:52. Unfortunately I ran most of the race in isolation for 3rd place. 1 and 2 were gone (15:30ish) and the rest of the field was way back. I would have liked to slip under 15:50...but it wasn't meant to be. Otherwise, I had a pretty easy week.

M: 9 easy

Tu: 11 with 6x600, 6x300/90 sec rest. Avg 4:55 pace for the 600s and 4:32 pace for the 300s

We: 9 easy

Th: 6.5 with 3x400,300,200 cut downs from about 5 min for the 400s and 300s. Quick 200s (32, 31, 29)

Fr: 6 easy

Sa: 11 with the 5k

Su: 7 easy (lazy on a treadmill during a snow storm)

Total: 60

immunorunner - 15:50 is a big improvement from your last couple races, and would equal about a 9:00 3000m, probably better with a more competitive field around you.

my week turned out very well.

94 miles. 12,000' climbing. 13 hours of running.

had a couple easy trail runs over moderate hills, one recovery day of just 6 easy miles, and a couple longer trail runs.

on wednesday, in sloppy trail conditions, ran 14 miles/2hrs with 3000' vert. did two ~15' efforts, the first on a climb and the second on a descent. probably about 5:40 effort for the uphill section, though it's hard to gauge on trails. ran the downhill smooth and fast but the heartrate wouldn't have been very high. good practice though as it's the same 2mi downhill that will be a part of my 50k in 2 weeks.

then on friday, after that easy 6 miler, did 26 miles with 5100' vert (pretty hilly but not insane) in 3hr40min through rain/sleet/hail/low 30s so it was very cold at times but overall still fun. I'm still sore 2 days later but my legs felt great even in the last few miles so my strength in climbing hills has progressed a lot in the last year. it also helps that I'm much fitter all around this year.

looking forward to racing my 50k in two weeks...I think I'm well prepared for any conditions we get (except temps over 65 F). I've got one more workout for this race before I'll taper a little. Will probably do some sort of moderate run (about 50k effort) with something quicker thrown in, maybe at tempo pace. might copy a workout I did before my half marathon from January, to see if I've gotten any fitter. something like 8mi moderate, then 2x2mi tempo.

Immunorunner- with a solid long run your mileage will easily come close to 75. For motivation, remember, we are on a quest for amateur glory!

Reed - that’s a killer week with all the climbing. As a naive flat lander I would imagine your week would equate to at least 110mi without the climbing. Looks like you’re super fit for this 50k and hope it goes well.

Could've sworn a posted here a couple weeks ago....

My last 3 weeks have been really solid! Still not doing a ton of hard work but have hit 92, 100, and 100 miles the last 3 weeks.

Some highlights would be a 22 miler two weeks ago and a 23 miler today, both right around 6:30 pace. Legs seem to feel fine afterwards, in each instance of running 20+ miles this cycle I've been able to get out for 10-12 miles the next day.

I run with the high school team that I teach and coach at and ran 10:35 for a 2 mile interval on the roads with them a couple weeks ago. That felt really good but is one of the only quicker things I've done. Doing a long fartlek this week probably.

Gave in and bought the Vaporfly 4%s today. Never run in Nike before but I figured they'd be worth it. Will try them out sometime soon. Planning on racing both my half and full in them.

I had a much better week and am back to more or less traditional marathon training. I’m hoping to bump it up a bit more but next week will be a tough one with a trip to visit family and more parental responsibility than normal as well (although it’s very welcome)

M - 10 easy

T - AM - 3.1 easy PM 13 with cruise intervals of 2, 2, 1, 1 with slightly longer rest than I would normally do (400m jog) but managed to average around 5:26 so I’m pretty happy with the result.

W - AM - 4 easy PM - 8 easy w strides

Th - rest - took the evening off to go out with my girlfriend (Valentines Day and all) and didn’t get out in the morning because it was pouring rain and I just didn’t feel like going out in it.

F - 12 steady on a treadmill, which was horrible but it was raining again and I again didn’t want to go out in it.

S - AM - 5.1 easy, PM 7 very easy

SU - 18 averaging 6:31 - started off feeling pretty flat but gradually progressed the pace until miles 13 and 14 were sub 6:00 pace but by then I was pushing too much so backed back off to finish strong.

Total of 80 for the week with 3 doubles. Going to try for around the same this next week but I won’t be too hard on myself if I fall short.

8 weeks to Boston!

Second week at 90 was a bit easier than the first. Front loaded a lot of mileage early to give myself an easy day on Saturday.

M: AM: 5 miles PM: 5 miles

T: AM: 4 miles PM: 10 miles

W: AM: 7.5 miles PM: 5.5 miles

TH: AM: 6.5 miles PM: 7.6 miles

F: AM: 6.5 miles PM: 7.5 miles

S: 7 miles

Sun: 18 miles @ 6:31 avg

Was sick all week which made getting these runs in a bit tough. I also thought I wrecked my Achilles 4 miles into my LR but it was just an awkward step. I cruised those last couple miles of the long run at sub 6:20 with a sub 6 at mile 17. Feeling pretty strong and can't wait to get through this final week of build up. Started off my road to 100 this week strong with an 8 miler at 6:30 pace.

Can't wait for Boston.

Nicely done, interesting that we had practically the exact same long run!

Looks like a few us are aiming for Boston, I’m looking forward to getting everyone’s bib numbers once they’re out so we can watch for each other. I hope my 2:33 is enough to get me in the first corral!