2:37 on 35 mpw... how much faster?

It's definitely possible wrote:

I know a guy that ran 2:38 on ~40mpw (granted, plus lots of cross training), so it's believable.

With ~40mpw you probably mean 45. Supplemented with cross training and I believe it.

35 without crosstraining. No. Freakin. Way.

Sub240 wrote:

Can't believe you guys are falling for this. No one runs 2:37 on 35mpw.

You pretty much need weekly 20 milers to be able to dip below 2:40 or (!) run higher mileage.

When you run 20mi on Sunday, then that leaves 15mi for the rest of the week. If you want one of these to be a M-paced tempo of, say, 6 miles + 1 warmup, that leaves 8 miles for another easy run, or maybe 2x 4 miles.

M off

T 4 miles

W off

T 7 mi (6 tempo)

F off

S 4 miles

S 20 miles

Nope, not happening.

.

I think it's possible. I don't know if the OP really did it though. I suspect that nearly all 2:37 marathoners did more more mileage to dip under 2:40.

This fall I ran 2:35 off 45 miles a week. 99% easy running. Had 3 long runs and ran a 1/2, 25k, and 10k as workouts in the 3 months leading up to it, thats it. 3 years prior I ran a 2:23 debut off of 100-120 miles a week of very focused training. Low 2:20s should be very possible with some real training.

2:37 on 35 is believable.

I ran 2:32 off 55 miles a week.

To expand on my above post, I made sure to hammer the long run every Sunday running 20~ miles at 6:00-6:15 avg with the last few harder.

The rest of the days were very easy, shortish runs.

[quote]Sub240 wrote:

M: off

T: off

W: 10mi @ MP

T: off

F: 1mi warmup, 6mi @ HMP

S: off

S: 18mi with last 6 @ MP

This works, but only if you got a good base. Otherwise, you will get injured, 100% guaranteed.

quote]

This would be the optimal schedule if you could only train 35 miles/week.

A couple years ago I started running some longer races like half marathons, 15-17 mile trail races and a 30k on the road.

I would run the road races really hard and the trail races at 80-90%. It would take me about 3 days to recover from the races so I would go out and run a 10 to 12 miler. Then I had to take 2 days to recover for the next race. This worked out so well, I just made it my training plan and got in great shape. I went 6 months averaging 30 miles a week on 2 runs.

My experience was that I was LESS inclined to get injured because of all the recovery days.

It's impossible to say how much improvement the op can make but if you are consistently running a hard 35 miles every week, the improvement might not be as much as expected.

I ran almost exactly that time off of that mileage coming off of injury. I only did some track work of like 5:15 miles and no tempos. My highest mileage week in training was the week before race which was just around 50.

Off of and avg of 65mpw including the taper weeks I've run 2:31 going 73/78.

I'm not underpreparing on purpose. I'm underprepared because either my body sucks or I suck at keeping it healthy.

The point is though that you sound like me so sub 230 is in the ball park.

ChewbaccaDefense wrote:

Ran 2:37 on about 35 mpw focusing mostly on tempo and MP work. How much faster do you think I could go if I ran 65-70 mpw?

A 2:37 is not that great of a time, even on 35 mpw. Lots of high school kids are breaking 2:00 off of that type of mileage. Since it is more of a speed event, more mileage may not get you any faster. Since it doesn't seem like you have much speed, you might want to move up to longer distances, like the 10k, or even marathon.

hahahaha!

b runs wrote:

I ran almost exactly that time off of that mileage coming off of injury.My highest mileage week in training was the week before race which was just around 50.

Moron.

We were talking about 35 mpw, not 50 mpw. And without a base.

Try again.

NEXT.

Sub240 wrote:

b runs wrote:

I ran almost exactly that time off of that mileage coming off of injury.My highest mileage week in training was the week before race which was just around 50.

Moron.

We were talking about 35 mpw, not 50 mpw. And without a base.

Try again.

NEXT.

Ever heard of Tony Sandoval?

A bunch of guys from my box ran a fall Marathon and three of them tried to qualify for Boston. All of them succeeded. This was done on CrossFit Endurance which is mostly a strength ENDURANCE program with little running. Qualifying for Boston on less than 20 mpw is virtually unheard of with any other program which makes it even more impressive. I said it before: sprints go a very long way!

ChewbaccaDefense wrote:

Ran 2:37 on about 35 mpw focusing mostly on tempo and MP work. How much faster do you think I could go if I ran 65-70 mpw?

Impressive. If you want to get serious about the marathon, you have to increase your mileage though. No doubt about it. So no matter what we think about your potential times, you should increase your mileage.

Granted, some runners respond very positively to high mileage. Others not as much. So don't expect to suddenly become elite just because you double your mpw. But either way, if you want to approach your potential in the marathon, you need to run more than 35 mpw. Just make sure you don't make the leap too quickly. Patience is key. Take of yourself.

My prediction: On 70 mpw you'll hit 2:28

Sounds very convincing. How would you train if you want to beat the world record? More than 20mpw or just more CrossFit?

yyy wrote:

Sounds very convincing. How would you train if you want to beat the world record? More than 20mpw or just more CrossFit?

Moron. Crossfit has never been about top end long distance running. Top end is about being the fittest overall athlete.

Case in point: fit enough to qualify for Boston yet BUFF enough to get laid every weekend.

Then CrossFit is of little interest to the average poster

here on LR. They all have the ambition to become a world beater - not to get laid.

yyy wrote:

Then CrossFit is of little interest to the average poster

here on LR. They all have the ambition to become a world beater - not to get laid.

Haha, nice one bro. Unfortunately, this is probably true.

ChewbaccaDefense wrote:

Working two jobs and just out of college trying to support a young family otherwise I'd love to make a big jump. How would you structure the week I was thinking a long run (with some mp work in it), a tempo run, then the rest 8-10 sometimes a bit longer if I can. Thoughts?

Figure it out for yourself, dic*.

2175 wrote:

I think we are missing the point debating if he could run 2:37 on 35mpw. Whether he can do it or not is not the question. The OP is asking what he could be capable of and what he should do at 65-70 to maximize his training.

Nobody is missing the point. This is like a guy saying his 1988 Chevette tops out at 200mph and asking what it could do with a spoiler. The likely BS premise makes the extrapolation mindless.

The OP providing answers about his base would be helpful.