Workout pace marathon sub 2:50

my first marathon was a 2:41 so a little faster than your goal pace. I remember running hilly 10 mile tempo workout in around 6:20 pace. We would do only 4 or 5 x 1 mile repeats not 6 but we did them faster than we probably should have - these would be from 4:50 to 5:10 pace. Faster isn't necessarily better for a workout like this as it might mean the training effect is not really appropriate. Probably something more like 5:30 or even 5:45 would be more appropriate. The tempo run should be a little faster than race pace, maybe 20 seconds/mile or so.

I had a friend who ran mid-2:40's for a good stretch. He was running up to 80mpw. I'm a 4:53 miler and I know that I could not hang with him on the longer reps, but he could not hang with me on the shorter reps (200m-400m).

If I remember his PR's:

16:35 for a 5K (flat competitive race in the spring)

29:15 for 8K (cold day)

1:18:50 for a Half Marathon.

We could do 8x1000m at 5:48 pace with 1 min standing rests very easily.

He had also done a few 10 to 15 milers at 6:15-6:30 pace during his build up.

I'd say if you can hang 5:50 pace on an 8K and can cut down to low 6's during a long run you've got a good shot.

RFF wrote:

What was your times for workouts below when you did sub 2:50 in the marathon?

6x 1 mile 1,5min jog recovery

4x 2mile 2-3 min jog recovery

10 mile tempo

Maybe not the best predictors, but it would be interesting to so what I should aim for.

I ran 2:49:22 last year in a solo marathon, and at that time, I was running the workouts above (sometimes I would do 3x2 mile instead of 4x2 mile). Looked back on my logs and this is what I was doing immediately before the run --

6x1M = 6:00 pace.

3-4x2M = 6:05 pace.

10M tempo = 6:25-30 pace

Immediately AFTER I ran that marathon, it seemed like I took a bit of a leap and was running more like 5:55 / 6:00 / 6:15-20 paces for those three workouts, so it's hard to say which is more applicable to 2:50-ish shape, but somewhere in that range.

First time I went sub-2:50 I was at 1:20 for the half. Probably 6:15-6:20 pace for a 10 mile tempo. 6 x 1 mile in the 5:40s/50s probably.

Than you all, this is interesting to see.

I feel that I might be on the track, I run usually about 75 mpw.

Did two weeks ago on treadmill 9x 1 mile with 1,5 minute jog recovery in 5:58. Not to hard.

The week prior that 5x 2miles in 6:00 with 2 minute jog recovery.

Last week I did my first 90 mile week ended with 21 mile long run at even 7:03 pace also not to hard.

Looking more like sub-2:45 to me. Dial in a good nutrition plan, you might be ready for 6:15s.

I think 2:45 is to hard for me.

I do all my long runs and easy distance outside.

But intervalls on treadmill.

In January i did 3x 4km 5:49.

But I think treadmill is easier than road.

I just ran 2:48 after failing to break 2:50 last year (on pace through 22ish, then cratered a little). on both cases I actually set my watch to kilometers for marathon specific stuff and on race day. 2:48 works out roughly to a nice even 4:00 minutes per kilometer. Gives you a nice round number to aim for, and i actually found i prefered the kilometers as you get more and more frequent feedback tp pace than miles.

I did a 10 mile tempo a little quicker (3:45 per k or 6:00 per mile roughly), and if i were to have done 6x1 mile i would have probably started them around 5:45 per mile and cut down if things went well.

Really good indicator and something I have used a lot is doing something like 2-3 x 5k at the end of longer runs. i did a 20 miler with 2x5k after halfway and a 21 miler with 3x5k in there. Warm up for 20k, do 2-3x5k with 2 min jog between in 20 minutes.

Ran 2:47 avg 63 mpw over 18 weeks.

2 months before the race I did 6x 1 mile ~5:50 off of 2’ rest, two weeks before the race 5:40 again off 2’ rests, felt quite comfortable and fresh at the end.

Never did 4x2 mile but probably 6:05-6’ pace would’ve been good

Also never did 10 mi tempo maybe 6:15-25 probably if I had.

I did 400s/200s + 3-6 mi tempos as the second workout, and Km or mile repeats as the first workout, and long runs ~6:45-6:55 pace 18-22 miles every week

I ran 2:48 my last marathon but with 1:21-1:27 splits after going hard into the wall at 35k.

I mainly did longer intervals at slightly faster than MP, such as 5x3 miles @ 6:10, 10x1 mile @6:10 and 3x5 miles at 6:15. Practically did no work faster than that except for one workout every other week where i did something like 8x1k@5:35

This looks like sub-2:45 potential too.

I wouldn't sell yourself short OP but I think sub-2:50 is well within your wheelhouse.

RFF wrote:

What was your times for workouts below when you did sub 2:50 in the marathon?

6x 1 mile 1,5min jog recovery

4x 2mile 2-3 min jog recovery

10 mile tempo

Maybe not the best predictors, but it would be interesting to so what I should aim for.

6x 1 mile 1,5min jog recovery

4x 2mile 2-3 min jog recovery

Marathon Pace minus 15 seconds

10 mile tempo

I would only do this during a long run and it would be at MP

Thanks for the encouragement.

Todays treadmill workout 8x 2km 5:58 1,5min jog recovery. Pretty comfortable until last 2K

5:58 pace, not 5:58 for 2K right? I don't think there is a huge advantage to doing interval workouts on the treadmill so I wouldn't discount the work your doing. Sure, no wind or weather to worry about but your legs are moving just as fast.

For sure 5:58 pace. Thank you again.

Maybe I’ll piggyback off this good thread. I’m looking to run just under 2:50 this summer. Just did a workout on a flat route:

6 steady—just under 7min avg.

6 miles with 3 min on and 2 min floating. All by feel. Ons averaged 5’50 or so.

4 miles at 6’22 avg.

Cool down for 1.7 miles

Total: 18 miles for 6’34 pace.

Felt good for the most part. Last mile before cool down had to grit but not strain.

Am I looking okay for sub 2:50?

18 miles at goal MP + 5 seconds? Even if you did that without the pace work, you could probably break 2:50 right now.

Nice workout.

Today because of the weather I had to do my long run on treadmill.

5x 5k at 6:09 pace with 3min jog at 7:09 pace.

Total 21 miles in 2:15:13

Based on this weeks long run do you thing 2:50 is a good goal?

Ending my 75 mile week with this.

21,7miles (35km) in 2:24:55 pretty even pace

From 6:51 per mile down to last 2miles at 6:26 pace. It was hard but not an all out.

No gels or water during the run or energy since night before.

(One hard workout before this week 6x 2k)