Sub 2:50 marathon, what did your training look like?

Seems to me like you have a pretty good shot. That long run looks solid for being 8 weeks out.

2 weeks out it looks like I had:

-4x800m/400m jog + 6x200m/200m jog

2:47, 2:46, 2:43, 2:41 36, 35, 35, 34, 34, 33

-20 miles w/ 10 easy, then 10@6:30-6:35

Week before that was 20 miles ending in 2x2miles @6:30

9-10 weeks out I raced a 17:40 5K and a hilly 7M avging 6:06, so you're actually ahead of my schedule with your fitness it looks like

Also peaked at a 70 mile week averaging generally around 50-60mpw

Good enough to net me 2:46 high at Chicago!

Right on. That makes me feel better about things!

lofty goal wrote:

For anyone who's run 2:47-2:50 what did your training look like??

I'm shooting for sub 2:50 and have been doing my own thing as far as training goes. I'm averaging 55-65 mpw and should peak out at around 70. I'm 8 weeks out and last week was pretty typical and went something like this?

Mon- rest

Tue- 1.5 mile WU, 6x800m @ 5:45 pace w 2 min jog recovery. 1.5 mile CD

Wed- 11 miles easy (8:08 pace)

Thurs- 1 mile WU, 6 miles fast (6:06 avg) 1 mile CD

Fri- 11 miles moderate (7:36 pace)

Sat- 5 miles easy (7:51 pace)

Sun- 20 mile Long run,...6 easy (7:40 ish) then 6@ MP + 20-30 sec (6:50), then 6 @ 6:30ish, then 2 mile CD

Does this look like I'm on the right track? Fire away!

Looks good but one thing is missing: doubles. Why are you not doubling as many days a week as you can? Doubles are better: faster recovery (after you have been doing them for a while and decide to single a day or 2 before a race when your body is expecting two runs, it will recover in overdrive if that makes sense), 2 training stimuli a day, 2 metabolic boosts (easier to keep very lean), and quicker economy adaptations.

I would double on wednesday and friday if I were you. Break up that 11 with an 8/3, or 6/5, however you want...you'll thank me later (search "malmo" on this site to learn more :) )

Here's the build-up prior to my first sub-2:50. All singles and one day off. each week. Once a week I would run a VO2max-type workout like 800m or 1-mile repeats. Other days were easy recovery or progression runs finishing at about 5:40/mile.

Long runs (18+ miles) were slow (8:00/mile). 50 mpw average for 12 weeks; previous mileage was much less.

12- Week Marathon Training

Weekly total -- longest run -- races

52 -- 13

58 -- 18

29 -- 12

62 -- 18 -- 5M 27:19

44 -- 18

47 -- 12 -- 5K 16:47

54 -- 14 -- 10K 34:12

51 -- 13 -- 20K 1:13:50

62 -- 18

68 -- 22

37 -- 14

34 -- 10

Marathon -- 2:47:34

Week - totalmi - workouts - races

0 - 54mi - 2 ez workouts - 26.2 in 2:47:14

1 - 35mi - sick

2 - 66mi - 5x1600 @ 5:28s, 5k Tempo in 18

3 - 90mi - 22mi @7:15s, 5k 17:29, 2x2mi in 11:22s

4 - 90mi - 10x800 2:40s, 10k tempo 6:10s - Hilly HM 1:25

5 - 90mi - 3x3mi @6flat, 20mi 6:37s

6 - 90mi - 4x2mi @5:55s, 20mi 7:45s - 5M XC 29:37

7 - 53mi - 5k @ 6flat, 5.5mi Michigan (continuious) 5:51s

8 - 80mi - 5M @ 6:10s

9 - 66mi - 12x400 - 5k 16:56, 26.2 @ 7:25s (pacing)

10 - 90mi - 4x1200, 17LR

11 - 90mi - 20min tempo

12 - 90mi - 18LR @ 6:45s, 5x1600 @ 5:40s

13+ build to 90mi

Strides, hill sprints mixed in, didnt include some of the quicker stuff I did after tempos or long reps, probably average 8.5 runs a week

https://www.strava.com/athletes/17774722

It looks like you have the gist of it! reps, tempo, LR

lofty goal wrote:

For anyone who's run 2:47-2:50 what did your training look like??

I'm shooting for sub 2:50 and have been doing my own thing as far as training goes. I'm averaging 55-65 mpw and should peak out at around 70. I'm 8 weeks out and last week was pretty typical and went something like this?

Mon- rest

Tue- 1.5 mile WU, 6x800m @ 5:45 pace w 2 min jog recovery. 1.5 mile CD

Wed- 11 miles easy (8:08 pace)

Thurs- 1 mile WU, 6 miles fast (6:06 avg) 1 mile CD

Fri- 11 miles moderate (7:36 pace)

Sat- 5 miles easy (7:51 pace)

Sun- 20 mile Long run,...6 easy (7:40 ish) then 6@ MP + 20-30 sec (6:50), then 6 @ 6:30ish, then 2 mile CD

Does this look like I'm on the right track? Fire away!

Puts things into perspective seeing feedback like this, I am not the OP but sub 3 is def a goal one day. It appears from most honest feedback on this site, the 60-70 mpw is the sweet spot for sub 3. I can get 30-35 mpw without trying too much, still think I am a few years away from a block like 60 mpw. Maybe once my son is a bit older! Best of luck this season.

Typical week:

Sunday - Long Run (alternated 15 & 20, tried to get at least (4) 20 milers in during 16 week build-up)

Monday - Easy Hour (usually 8 miles)

Tuesday - Long Track Day, like 6 x 1 mile @ 5:40 with 400 jog recovery (2 mile warm-up & cool-down)

Wednesday - 13 miles

Thursday - Quicker Track day, like 16 x 400 in 76-78 with 200 jog recovery (2 mile warm-up & cool-down)

Friday - Easy Hour (usually 8 miles)

Saturday - Easy 10 (on grass xc course)

Every other Saturday would be a marathon pace tempo run; Started at 6 miles about 12 weeks out, then go 8, 10, and then 15 three weeks from race day.

I would usually average 70 - 80 per week, easy runs were 7:00 - 7:15/mi pace; There are no shortcuts, I rarely took a day off. I followed this for years, ran several 2:40 - 2:50.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like some decent variation for how folks got there.

For long runs I've already got in 17, 17, 18, 19, and 20 mile runs. I still have a 21, 21, and 22 left and all of those will have about 50-60% of the total mileage @ goal MP.

I appreciate the feedback and it sounds like doubling would def have its advantages but life is pretty hectic right now and the program I'm on with just dong singles has me pretty maxed out.

When I ran high 240s my training was a lot like this. The mileage peaked at 70ish. Quality long runs + a moderate 10-11 mile run at similar paces.

The one main difference is the Tuesday workout. I used it to train specificity working on paces in 615 to 630 range. I progressed from 6* 1mile to 3*2 miles to 3* 3 miles to 2*5 miles over 4-6 weeks. In my fastest race, I ran the last 10k at 618 pace and it felt exactly like this weekly workout. You see you’re doing more each time so it helped me up my mileage too. Best of luck!

Update. This week I got in 64 miles. It looked like this

Mon- rest

Tue- 1.5 mile warm up, 4x1200m @ 5:45 pace, 2 min jog recovery. 1 mile cool down

Wed-12 miles easy 8:11 pace

Thurs- 1 mile warm up, 7 mile tempo/cut down form 6:25 to 6:00, 1 mile cool down

Fri- 11 miles easyish, 8:01 pace

Sat-5 easy, 8:37 pace

Sun- 21 miles, 8 easy, 11@ 6:35, 2 easy.

The long run killed me, we're in the middle of a blizzard so I did the 8 easy outside around 7:55 pace, then jumped directly on the treadmill for the 11@ 6:35 and then finished with a 2 mile slog home. I felt really wiped out afterwards. this next week is a little bit of a recovery week. Im hoping to take advantage and really rest up. I feel like I might be on the verge of over training a little.

I just ran 2:48 with a 1:21 hm split so would guess I am closer to 2:45 with even splits, but these were the 10w leading up to my race.

Week 1: 50 miles

Week 2: 65 miles

Week 3: 30 miles

Week 4: 45 miles

Week 5: 35 miles

Week 6: 40 miles

Week 7: 55 miles

Week 8: 25 miles

Week 9: 25 miles

Week 10: 40 miles including race

As you can see my mileage was quite uneven. Did a lot of progressive long runs, and lots of tempos. Most weeks I did two tempos, one 20 min at 6 min pace and 60 min tempos at 6:25 pace.

My biggest workout was a 21 mile run with 4x5k averaging 19 per 5k.

Looks like you are on the right direction, good luck!

two longer tempo efforts and repeats, that's a decent amount of quality in 1 week so the overtraining feeling probably makes sense(although I think its just regular fatigue and not 'overtraining'). Both the longer efforts look like a good pace. This thread kinda makes me a little sad I had to run so much more to achieve similar results

seems like you are already doing the types of workouts that most 2:47-2:50 marathoners do.

your best bet is to not increase the volume or intensity much in the next 8 weeks. keep it consistent so that you don't have any unplanned down weeks. better to have 3 65 mile weeks than an 80, then a 45, then a 55 even though they all add up to the same.

I ran 2:47 last September, honestly I took training day by day. My weekly averages were around 70-75 miles a week and my peak week was 90 miles, with the pace around 8:30-9:00 minutes. Some weeks I did not workouts and others I did multiple, typically my workouts were races I would do. For workouts I would usually do tempos on the track (ex: 4 miles at 5:35 pace) En route to the marathon I ran a 58 minute 10 miler and a 16:19 5K within two days of each other. Also I ran a 9:14 3K about 10 days out from the marathon. The week leading up to the race I probably only did 30-40 miles. Basically I did not have any set training plans, I just ran as I felt and experimented with different workouts. I would do short hill sprints every week and my best long run was 20 miles at 6:16 pace (which is why I feel like a 2:47 was a pretty big letdown, especially seeing my 3K time). I think when it comes to training you have to understand your own body and just realize what you are trying to achieve in terms of adaptation and your body's energy systems. I benefit by running extremely slow on my recovery runs and doing very little work faster than CV pace.

you are a terrible example. don't know why you thought posting your training would be helpful...considering you should've run like 2:35-2:39.

the fact is that most people (males) running around 2:49 are going to be running 50-80 mpw, with a long run every week and one or two workouts midweek. fartleks, tempo runs, track workouts, hill repeats...all are standard marathon training workouts.

It looks like you're doing everything you need to do. Your fitness definitely is close to the 2:50 range. I ran 2:50 even in perfect weather conditions on a very easy course with similar workouts to you and I felt like I ran a great race.

I would definitely not double at your mileage. Absolutely no need for marathon training running 75 miles a week or less. Just be consistent and don't overtrain. If you have an easy course with great weather and you run a smart race, you've definitely got a shot.

Yikes. Please don't post this in response to people asking for sub 2:50 training. I know you point this out saying 2:47 was a letdown, but it's burred within your post before you quoted a bunch of times. I've run a 2:45 and I have never cracked 7:00 on a 20 miler in training. Not trying to put you down, but you're not helping posting here.

See I just don't agree. I ran a 15:48 5K in college and that says I should be able to run something like. 2:32 marathon. I know sub 15 guys who never have broken 2:35. Running a sub 2:50 marathon was much more difficult for me than a sub 16 5K.