Do you know runners who run 3:20 marathons off 100mpw training??

Even though I agree with you that it is a bit crazy, aren't we all a bit like her? What more than personal satisfaction are we getting out of practicing hard and getting some decent times that won't ever get us anywhere.

I mean, any guy with 14.00-16.00 times, or let's say 2.20-2.35 marathon times is putting a lot of effort and sacrificing a lot of things for absolutely no money, no international tournaments etc.

The best we can pretty much ever get out of running is getting our way paid through college, which is well worth it, but beyond that, the effort is fairly pointless in terms of money unless you can get under 13.20- 28.00- 2.15 level.

If she keeps that up for another year, maybe she'll run sub 2:50. Maybe she does have talent, but has only been seriously training for one year.

Hendrik, I agree with you. I do not get any kind of fame or money from my running, no doubt. I love the feeling of running and being in shape, and that's a reward in itself for me. However I would not stop working, rely on my spouse, or spend 20+ hours per week training. That's the first thing that surprised me in that woman's behavior.

The second thing is that she did not get any great results. Heck, I believe you can run a 3:20 marathon with 30mpw, a few long runs, and as many beers as you want in the weeks leading up to the race. If you do everything right for a year of hard training, after years of consistent running, I would expect a stellar result, especially at a downhill marathon.

You are a guy, idiot. So yea, maybe a 3:20 isn't that hard.

She's a woman.

Brian Sell runs 150mpw and works at Home Depot..surely one can work FT and find time to train to run 3:20

3:20 for a woman is around 2:50 equivalent for a guy which I think most would agree is a pretty solid time for even serious runners. In year she's cut an hour, I would say another 6-7 months and a spring marathon and she'll break 3 hours which would make her sub-elite. JoggersWorld to Sub Elite in 18 months; not great but not terrible either.

I would not say she has no talent but I would also not say she has a "surfeit" of talent. But I'm sure a 57-minute improvement made her feel good, so what the hey?

100 is just a number. The nature of the workouts and ability to recover make a difference.

Then a marathon is one of those deals where the conditions and strategy (inc hydrating/fueling) can make or break it.

While it is assumed a downhill marathon will lead to a fast time some runners do not do well on a downhill course. For instance a friend just ran Steamtown (a notorious downhill course) and did not think it was all that fast plus the humidity took a lot out of him (him being from Colorado).

If she keeps it up she might develop into a strong runner. Running takes time and dropping almost 1 hour in a year is a pretty nice improvement "curve".

You size it up so accurately Hendrick.

I ran my butt off in the 80's. Never broke 2:25 or collected a red cent. But I came away with some intangibles that I wouldn't trade for anything. Work ethic, self esteem, gratification of doing one's best in at least one vector of life, and a host of interesting characters I still name as friends 25 years latter.

Good on her,that is not a bad time for a woman(worth 2.55-3.00 for a male).She must have a wonderfully supporting husband,just like a lot of male marathoners are blessed with a similar wife.She will probably get down below 3.00 if she stays injury free long enough.

Stop the BS. That's a terrible result for that kind of mileage on a fast course.

Let's cut out this 30 minute BS once and for all.

The WR is only 11-12 minutes apart. Maybe it's fair to say a 3:20 is like a 3:00, but 2:50 is a stretch.

That's a great improvement but I would have to call her out on the 100 mpw unless she is including her daily walking to her mileage.

It takes about 3-4 years of the kind of training you describe to meet your own true potential. Most likely she gets down under 3 hours which would still be huge.

Case study:

I trained too fast, didn't do enough miles (avg slightly over 40MPW for the 8-10 weeks leading up to my first marathon), got sick 10 days beforehand and crashed 'n burned at 22 miles (+ pretty much walked two miles), yet still crept to a 3:26:XX.

100MPW would probably have gotten ME under 3 hours, I'd guess. Of course, I would have had to learn to train less hard EVERY day. I pretty much raced most of my workouts. Did OK at the shorter stuff, but hated going out the door some days. I couldn't fit 100MPW in with my job. Chronically tired.

I had/have NO talent, by the way; my best 10K was slightly under 37:00 the year or two before, with 50MPW here and that, and slightly under 36:40 for 10K lifetime.

Respiratory issues, that are hereditary have always been an issue; several bouts with bronchitis and pneumonia. My brother is asthmatic and our Dad, Bless Him, had lung issues as well.

Some of us have NO ability as runners, but can perform respectably i.e. top 1/3 with some gritty training.

There may be underlying reasons for this woman's situation, still dropping to 3:20 from 4:17 is still an achievement (57-minutes???).

Sounds reasonable to me........good for her.

I ran 3:10 off of about 80/week, which was a monster improvement for me as well. Not everyone has talent. Some have to work hard for what are pedestrian times in the elite/sub-elite world.

Unbelievable site. Everyone pisses and moans about Gallowalkers and hobby-joggers. Yet this lady puts it on the line and all you can say is that she isn't talented. Good on her for working hard to LOWER HER MARATHON TIME BY ONE HOUR.

Exactly. Knocking nearly an HOUR off? Good for her, as you said.

4:17->3:20->2:26

Sounds like an Epic Progression

How old is she? We will need to replace Paula soon.

well she isnt talented. hell, if a guy ran 100 mile weeks, and didnt break 2:30 I would say they weren't talented either. marathon isn't about talent, it is about who trains the hardest and the most. thats why you can turn mediocre runners into decent marathoners. and yet, everyone seems to think that you arent a real runner unless you run a marathon.

rule of thumb a woman's handicap is 1:30 per 5k

so 5x8= 40, so a marathon is 42.2 k, so that is .5 of a 8.5 5k 's in a marathon

so you do 1:30x8.5=12:45

so you can subtract 12:45 from a woman's marathon time to equal a guys marathon time.