How many mpw to break 3 hrs in the Marathon?

Speculator Sam wrote:

As much as you can safely handle would best, especially if you're trying to do your best marathon performance. This training plan from coolrunning.com suggests 40-60mpw (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/129.shtml). If you can run 18:30-18:45 for 5K, 39min. for 10K, and 1:24 half-marathon, you've got the required speed to break 3hrs. cicirunner on YouTube, despite, at the time, having a 4:40ish mile, 16:30 5K, and 32:00-33:00 10k, it took him like 3 attempts to finally break 3 for the marathon (3:07, then 3:01-3:04, then 2:48-2:58, I forget the last one). He runs 50mpw, but is also a triathlete, so he does lots of swimming and cycling. I hope this helps, and thanks for reading.

He's also kind of an idiot, based on what I've listened to in his YouTube videos. Intelligent people who can break 18 for 5k should be able to go sub3 the first time. Heck they should be knocking on sub240 if they trained right. If you lack intellect to train well it may take a few times to break 3hrs despite having really good (well decent) speed.

easy weeks wrote:

. Don't compare your times with those who are just trying to finish, carrying around cameras and lining up at the back so they don't get bowled over. What you are attempting and what they are attempting are not the same.

They act like it's what our sport is all about.

Surely it's the kind of runner you are that determines if you can go sub 3 hours or not? Not just your 5k PB.

A 5k is a long way away from a marathon. I could run in the 15s but wouldn't back myself over a 3 hour race. My 800m happened to be very strong however.

50-65 would be my best guess.

Metric Miler wrote:

Surely it's the kind of runner you are that determines if you can go sub 3 hours or not? Not just your 5k PB. A 5k is a long way away from a marathon. I could run in the 15s but wouldn't back myself over a 3 hour race. My 800m happened to be very strong however.

I agree as in my own slower case (50+), I can run a decent 5k for my age on 40 mpw, but I doubt I could even *finish* a marathon, let alone break three hours. As has been stated already, a lot depends on your running background, and what your strengths are. I don't have the patience or the physical attributes to train significantly more mpw just to gut-out a marathon...I prefer shorter, high intensity activity. The same was true when I was 20 years younger.