What does it take to jump from sub 3 to sub 2:40?

I think running a bit faster could help!

Master of LolIy wrote:

I think running a bit faster could help!

Yep that's it. Basically you have to improve your 10k time by a lot.

What does current training look like? Besides just your mileage?

It depends on what your training looked like so far to get under 3. I got under 3 after running 90 to 100 easy miles a week at 8 min/mile pace, one 20 mile long run a week at 7:15 min/mile, and no pace work under 6:30 min/mile pace. To get to 2:43 I had to forget about the marathon for a bit and did 9 months of mobility, speed development, track workouts, and shorter distance races like the 5K - 15K before returning to the marathon.

In my case, my form and body fell apart faster than 6:30 pace, but that was to be expected if I never went faster than that in training and never stressed by anaerobic system and VO2 max.

But I've met runners who went from 3 to 2:40 by doing the opposite. They worked their way up to the marathon after doing shorter distance stuff for awhile and needed to pile on the miles and aerobic threshold work that I was already doing.

More miles. 80-100 versus 60. & more threshold stuff. Faster PBs at 5k/10k are good but a lot of sub-3 types do their weekly workouts at that pace when they should be doing threshold workouts & long tempos. More miles at 6-flat in long runs. More miles at 5:30-5:50 pace in workouts.

Gonna have to at least be under 17:00 for 5k & under 35:00 for 10k. Can take some a lot more than that to go 2:39. Train right, with good mileage and specificity, and a 16:40s/50s 5k runner can go 2:39.

But, if you can't handle 10 miles at 6-flat, you gotta spend some time on the track getting faster or you might just stall out in the upper-2:40s/low-2:50s.

NERunner03533 wrote:

More miles. 80-100 versus 60. & more threshold stuff. Faster PBs at 5k/10k are good but a lot of sub-3 types do their weekly workouts at that pace when they should be doing threshold workouts & long tempos. More miles at 6-flat in long runs. More miles at 5:30-5:50 pace in workouts.

Gonna have to at least be under 17:00 for 5k & under 35:00 for 10k. Can take some a lot more than that to go 2:39. Train right, with good mileage and specificity, and a 16:40s/50s 5k runner can go 2:39.

But, if you can't handle 10 miles at 6-flat, you gotta spend some time on the track getting faster or you might just stall out in the upper-2:40s/low-2:50s.

+1

So many threads like this where the OP gives such minuscule details, expects info that would be impossible to give, and then bails on the thread. Why post?

What's a 5k/10k PR?

How long have you been running?

What are your typical workouts like?

I've run 16:45 5k, 1:18:xx HM and 2:50 full,

Approx 55-65 mpw.

What should I do to get down to 2:39?

Same advice then OP. Your 5k is fast enough to target sub-2:40. You should be able to at least run under 2:45. Try to make a jump to 70-80 miles/week. Up the mid-week threshold stuff. Consider your long run to be a weekly workout and run more 5:55-6:05 miles on tired legs. Make 10 @ 6-flat routine. Make it routine after a 6-8 mile warm up and feel like you could have kept going on your cool down.

Get you one of the very best online coaches ! Get the magic wizard, coach JS. You contact him

at email

magic@coachjs.se

He will guarantee a sub 2.40 !

Sub 2.40 runner wrote:

Get you one of the very best online coaches ! Get the magic wizard, coach JS. You contact him

at email

magic@coachjs.se

He will guarantee a sub 2.40 !

Why are you promoting your own coaching services under different handles, JS?

Besides, you don't guarantee anything when your results with marathoners have been horrible.

You are a proven bad coach for the marathon (no, you didn't coach Victor Kipchirchir to a 2:07 or Angela Tanui to 2:26).

Go away and stop spamming the boards.

The basics, Increase your overall mileage. Increase your long runs. Do some track work outs. Do a few longer road races as tune ups. Build a solid base & give it time. Stay injury free.