What's my marathon pace?

6:55

Chicago is a course that will allow you to easily run with others at same pace.

Shoot for 6:40's. There should be a whole boatload running 6:40 or 6:45 pace. Don't hold yourself back. Get yourself to 18 in 2 flat and 21 in 2:20. Then the hard work will begin.

Tell yourself on every run from now until race day, I WILL break 3 hours, or I will break 2:55...good luck.

I'd need a bit more info but i don't see any reason why you shouldn't try for sub-2:45. I did it 2:42 off roughly your mileage with a (quite old) pb of 1:18 for the 1/2. I wasn't doing the same workouts as you but my 5k time was slower (16:50) and I think I was doing 2k repeats at 5:36 pace (35 min 10k pace) with 90 secs recovery. So I reckon 6:15 pace.

I've done 2:41-ish (6:08/mile pace) of of similar training and racing performances but with significantly more mileage (80 - 110). Depends on how many marathons you've done. Sounds like not too many.

You should have no trouble with going out at 6:30 if you want to be conservative. The guy above who said 6:15 is more likely accurate however. Maybe even he is being conservative.

Whatever you do, don't go out too fast. If you are at all like me, unless there is someone in particular you are trying to beat, surges and such are useless. Chicago in particular is not a race that you race, it is a race that you pace. I know that goes against the whole macho, carpe-diem philosophy that is prevalent around here but that's my experience.

You need to ease into a groove and stay there. Both years I ran it I ended up averaging 6:08 pace. Both times, my first 2 miles were exactly the same splits - 6:22 followed by 6:17. I just eased into the pace and it really paid off.

Ummm you guys are forgetting the first marathon 10 minute addition.

Yeah, all thinkgs being equal 2:45 is possible, but is it probable? all the stats for first time marathoners say no.

Looks like I missed the part where he mentioned that it was his first marathon. In that case, err on the conservative side.

All right do me:

I am also doing Chicago-

5 K PR 8 years ago 15:01

Trail Marathon 2:55

I have been running 40 MPW over hills, no speed.

with 3 above 20 long runs. Every long run I do I average 7:05 by the end with no pushing.

I am shooting for 2:50-2:55

What do you think?

Captain D

2:50 sounds very optimistic given the low mileage and nothing faster than 7:00 pace. But you ought to shoot for sub-3:00.

you can go under 2:45 at the least...

my sister trained around 8 min pace, ran around 70 miles a week, and cracked 3 hours twice.

Average_Joe wrote:

You need to ease into a groove and stay there.

That is the best bit of advice for your first Marathon....Especially if it's Chicago. You will be so pumped with adrenaline that it will be hard to hold back, and in the confusion that is the start, you will more than likely miss the 1st & 2nd mile markers. This means that you probably won't realize your pace is too fast until mile 3. Just try to find your pace (~6:30) as soon as possible, and sit there until mile 21. Then, run as you feel.

contact me I have some training methods that can help you get much stronger depending when your goal races are?? ect if your interested contact me and we'll get the specifics and get you rolling.

Joshua hawkins

info@runfaster.biz