TL;DR - Should I aim for sub 2:40 marathon + does anyone know anything about Stockholm?
I am running the Stockholm Marathon on 9 October. Wondering if anyone has any experiences of the course (it was updated in 2019 and cancelled in 2020 so there aren't many race reports or reviews out there).
I am thinking of shooting for sub 2:40 and would also appreciate any thoughts on how appropriate the goal is/pacing strategies. The course has rolling hills pretty much throughout (total 1500ft/460m elevation gain) and I am not quite sure how to take these into account with goal/pacing.
I feel confident that I could hit 2:39 on a flat course but not sure how this translates to 'rolling hills'. My thought at the moment is to go through half in 1:20, hold the same pace through the hilliest section (mile 15-21), then empty the tank from mile 21. Does this seem reasonable, or should I run the first half a little faster and slow a little through the hillier sections?
Training cycle
12 week 'base build' from 0-70mpw, followed by 18 week pfitz Adfanced Marathoning 18/70-85 plan (two peak weeks of 85 mpw).
Started training with sub 2:45 in mind, but this was based purely on it being the next lowest round number below my previous PR of 2:49. I stuck very closely to the training plan throughout, just deviating on two weeks where I kept active anyway (one trail running holiday and one cycling holiday). Probably averaged 72mpw over the training block. I have been training around rolling hills, similar to those that I expect to rind in the marathon - generally feel that I can handle the inclines well.
Although I hit the long runs and tempo workouts consistently and well throughout, summer heat, badly timed food poisoning and a lack of local races have meant don't have many predictor workouts to look back on.
2 weeks out: 34:10 10k solo TT TT on a flat city loop. This was run on a Friday morning before work, so I had a short warm up and was hopping on/off pavements and dodging commuters on bikes. I tried to simulate a hard effort but feel that I could have gone faster in a race. Recovered quickly during the day
4 weeks out: Had a half marathon race planned, but had food poisoning for the 3 days before. Was still having stomach issues the morning of so though that racing would be a useless indicator while impacting recovery and the following week's training. Decided to run as an 'MP/tempo' at 6:07 pace as part of a long run. Did a 6 mile 7:00pace run before, then ran the half in 1:20 with exactly even splits. Nook on no water of fuel during, it felt like a harder effort during the last few km (slightly crampy) but it was definitely below race effort.
6 weeks out: 35:15 in pretty even splits local 10k race. This was my first time in a race in 4 years so was just aiming for even splits that matched my previous PR (35min) rather than racing all out. small hills towards the end of the course. The effort felt close to race effort.
Other recent/long runs (easy/long run effort):
2 weeks out: 17mi at 6:50 pace
3 weeks out: 22.7mi at 6:56 pace
5 weeks out: 19mi at 6:47 pace
7 weeks out: hilly 24 mi at 7:25 pace
Recent interval sessions have consisted of 6x1.2km @ 5:20min/mile pace, 2 mins rest.
History
30 year old male. Previous PR of 2:49 off 18 weeks (peak approx 70mpw)
No long history of running or competing. Generally keep fit year round but across a variety of sports and have never spent any time on the track. Decided to try running a marathon in 2017. Took it pretty seriously, went from 0-50mpw in 6 weeks and then jumped in to the pfitz 18 week 55-70mpw plan. Followed it pretty religiously, although a huge learning curve and made a lot of newbie mistakes along the way, messing up fuelling hitting slow runs too hard etc. I ran a 35 minute 10k tune up race 2 weeks before the marathon.
Ran the marathon in 2:49 in extremely windy conditions on a flat course. It was a local race so pretty much a solo effort.
Fast forward through the next four years of occasional hobbyjogging and general fitness work but nothing specific.
March - June 2021: 'Base build' from 0 - 70mpw. Feel slower then I have ever felt, but building the distance and volume feel pretty comfortable. Started adding in tempo workouts half way through the build.
June 2021: Begin pfitz 18/70-85 plan from Advanced Marathoning.
Thank you in advance!