Running a sub 2:40 marathon, mileage, Half PR?

1. Higher than that.

2. Jack Daniels says 1:16:30, so M = 2HM + 7. That's pretty ambitious, though, so 1:15:00 (2HM + 10) is more likely.

3. But people also say your Boston time is often 10 minutes slower than your BQ time, so you'd really want to be in 2:30 shape on a fast course, which is closer to 1:10:00-1:11:30.

4. Even splits. Wait, no, even effort. No, even time. Negative split, except for Heartbreak Hill.

5. Yes.

Actually, the truth is I don't know anything about Boston, but I'm also running it in the future, and hope to see more discussion of pacing strategies, so just think of this as an under-informed and not very helpful but free bump.

I had to be running at least 80 miles per week to get that mark when I was competing but I wasn't the most talented guy that's for sure.

Practice long sustained downhill running or Boston will kill your legs. Don't start out too fast which is easy to do since Boston is downhill for the first half, especially the beginning. I think you need minimum 1:14 half to break 2:40 in the marathon. Boston is a tough course to attempt a PR.

You can break 2:40 with a 1:15-1:17 half with the right training. Sub-1:15 and you're starting to look at 6:00/mile for the marathon. Most runners that are hard workers but not super talented tend to fall into this tier of marathoning -- 2:35-2:50ish where you're putting in the work but you're not an elite runner. It still usually requires 70-80+ miles/week. I know people who are more like 80-100+ to get it done. You gotta be willing to work. Probably more miles the slower your half time is unless you spend some time knocking that down. You can build a ton of strength and make 6:00-6:10 feel cozy even when your half marathon is 5:50-55.

NewtotheSouthSide wrote:

You can break 2:40 with a 1:15-1:17 half with the right training. Sub-1:15 and you're starting to look at 6:00/mile for the marathon. Most runners that are hard workers but not super talented tend to fall into this tier of marathoning -- 2:35-2:50ish where you're putting in the work but you're not an elite runner. It still usually requires 70-80+ miles/week. I know people who are more like 80-100+ to get it done. You gotta be willing to work. Probably more miles the slower your half time is unless you spend some time knocking that down. You can build a ton of strength and make 6:00-6:10 feel cozy even when your half marathon is 5:50-55.

This. And the post above it about training on the downhills.

Runnersquad wrote:

Hoping to run sub 2:40 in Boston.

Just wondering what mileages I should be trying to attain. (Currently running 60 MPW comfortably)

Also, just wondering what Half time would equal a sub 2:40 performance (approx). Also what splits should I aim for In Boston? Also, is Boston a hard place to PR?

if you want to run 2:39 at Boston, you'd want to be in 2:37 shape for a totally flat, perfect course. that means being in shape for a 1:13-1:14 half. some might be able to do that with 1:15 if you have very bad top end speed or you never train faster than 5:40 pace.

worry about splits later, but even splitting is usually the best plan, or within 1min of that.

I ran sub-2:40 at Boston this year, but obviously that wasn't very indicative of my fitness. I ran a 73 minute half in March (untapered, solo effort) and I think I could've run 2:33-2:34 with good weather on the Boston course.

if this is helpful, I think that on race day I could've run a 72:30 half marathon or 2:32:00 marathon in perfect conditions on a flat course. so that's HM*2 + 7min

Hi runnersquad, I am on the same boat. 60 a week. I did london in 2:49 on 50-55miles. I've been doing 60 now for 4 months. I am going to go for 2:39. I PR'd in the 10k this weekend 32:41, i thought I was only in sub 34 shape. I'm gonna do a 16 miler at race pace 4 weeks out. If my hr is steady and the effort OK I will shoot for it depending on weather.

Runnersquad wrote:

Hoping to run sub 2:40 in Boston.

Just wondering what mileages I should be trying to attain. (Currently running 60 MPW comfortably)

Also, just wondering what Half time would equal a sub 2:40 performance (approx). Also what splits should I aim for In Boston? Also, is Boston a hard place to PR?

Did you make it?

J2k wrote:

Hi runnersquad, I am on the same boat. 60 a week. I did london in 2:49 on 50-55miles. I've been doing 60 now for 4 months. I am going to go for 2:39. I PR'd in the 10k this weekend 32:41, i thought I was only in sub 34 shape. I'm gonna do a 16 miler at race pace 4 weeks out. If my hr is steady and the effort OK I will shoot for it depending on weather.

Interested in an update from OP too but what? 32:41 for 10k is more like 1:12/2:30ish. It looks like your mileage is on the low side but that sub-2:40 should be very achievable.

I think it's certainly doable off that mileage, but it also depends on your running history.

In 2016, after training seriously again for about a year and building up to running about 60-65mpw for the last 4 months, I ran 1:14:01, 2:40:01.

The following year after continuing to train consistently but only running about 55mpw leading up to the race, I ran 1:13:24, 2:34:10.

So with an extra year of consistent training my conversion from HM to marathon was much better.