Current 5k time of 16:08, current marathon time of 2:50. I've never done super consistent high mileage for quite a long time since I always trained too hard and had to back off. I'm a month into what should be about 4-5 months of a little over 100 mpw before I drop the mileage a bit and do more tempo/speed/interval stuff for an early fall marathon. How much can I expect to improve by having a sick base this time around?
@ 10 minutes.
It probably depends. If you can run 2:50 off of 40-50 mpw I would imagine that you could run much faster after many months of high mileage as long as you don't get hurt and recover properly.
that 5k time indicates you can run 2:40
A ton. You should be looking to drop into the mid 2:30s if your marathon specific training goes well. 2:50 marathon for a 16:08 5k guy is terribly slow and an indication of not enough mileage.
Sub 2:30.
My 5k is only 16:28 and I ran a 2:35 marathon off 8 weeks at 80-95.
Long Runs Galore wrote:
Current 5k time of 16:08, current marathon time of 2:50. I've never done super consistent high mileage for quite a long time since I always trained too hard and had to back off. I'm a month into what should be about 4-5 months of a little over 100 mpw before I drop the mileage a bit and do more tempo/speed/interval stuff for an early fall marathon. How much can I expect to improve by having a sick base this time around?
It depends; maybe you'll run slower. I recall that Benji Durden said that going over 100 did not benefit him. There's only one way to know, and you're doing it.
D-Train wrote:
It probably depends. If you can run 2:50 off of 40-50 mpw I would imagine that you could run much faster after many months of high mileage as long as you don't get hurt and recover properly.
It was more like 70-80, but it was marred with inconsistency. I'm on week 5 now of base-training now and feeling great. I've actually hit 80 miles in the last 4 days and my legs still feel really fresh (backing off tomorrow anyway though). I'm hoping to be able to run somewhere around 6:00/mile pace for the marathon this Fall, so it sounds like it should be a possibility if I continue to train well. The other thing to keep in mind is that I never really attempted any specificity or peaking for previous marathons; I kind of just ran a lot and raced random marathons here and there. Hopefully having a specific goal marathon and attempting to peak for it should allow me to run quite a bit faster in addition to the higher mileage.
EdUk wrote:
Sub 2:30.
My 5k is only 16:28 and I ran a 2:35 marathon off 8 weeks at 80-95.
Haha, I'm pretty sure I will absolutely blow up if I go out for a sub-2:30. I don't want to die next time around, so if I really train well, I think I'd try to go out in about 1:19 and no faster. 2:35 off a 16:28 is a pretty sick time...
Long Runs Galore wrote:
Current 5k time of 16:08, current marathon time of 2:50. I've never done super consistent high mileage for quite a long time since I always trained too hard and had to back off. I'm a month into what should be about 4-5 months of a little over 100 mpw before I drop the mileage a bit and do more tempo/speed/interval stuff for an early fall marathon. How much can I expect to improve by having a sick base this time around?
Whatever the case, keep us posted on your progress.
EdUk wrote:
My 5k is only 16:28 and I ran a 2:35 marathon off 8 weeks at 80-95.
This might mean you just didn't try in your 5k. Very few people who are really 16:30 5k runners would run 2:35 off of two months of training.
To the OP -- just try it and find out. Start doing some tempo runs starting around 5 miles and building up. See what kinds of paces feel comfortable for 7-10 miles after a month of work.
I have run a couple marathons, doing about 100mpw during much of a 12-14 week buildup. Seems like by 8 weeks out I can run about a 1/2 marathon in marathon pace minus 10 to 15 seconds and it's not a killer. I don't know if that's good or not. Just my experience. I ran 2:30 for reference. Others here will have a better idea of indicator workouts.
I've gone absolutely flat out in many 5ks and only broken 16:30 twice! No natural speed. The 2 months wasn't from nothing though, I'd done high mileage in the winter for a spring marathon then backed off over the summer before doing 8 weeks build up for a September marathon.
I think with 4-5 months of over 100 mpw a 16:08 runner could drop to sub 16 which should make sub 2:30 realistic on a fast course.