How hard is a sub 3 marathon?

I'll preface by saying I haven't run a marathon, so I'm looking for people with experience to correct me.

My thought process has always been that a 3 hour marathon should be pretty much nothing for a 16:xx type guy, especially at the low end of that, the reasoning being that pace is basically a nice easy run pace.

I've done plenty of easy runs at 5k + 1:30, as long as 23 miles, and never felt any difficulty. Sure I was tired the last few miles but far drom destroyed and gritting to maintain pace. If anything I could have really focused and picked up the pace.

Obviously 3 hours is pretty dang tough if 6:55 pace is outside your easy run wheelhouse...but assuming that 3 hr pace is easy pace, it doesn't seem like it should take much training if you already have mileage and a couple decent long runs.

My training for my first marathon consisted of 8 weeks totally off then 4 weeks of two days at 7-8 miles with a long run of about 16 miles. I rand 2:59:44. I was in about 16:30 5k shape and 4:32 mile shape before taking my time off.

A lot of analysis going into a very lame accomplishment. I was an 800 guy in college, kept running 3-4x a wk to stay in shape. Ran 2:44 in my first NY marathon. I wasn't lucky, I was aware of the distance and last few miles sucked sure but would have def hung myself if I didn't break 3. Just keep running often, not sure about all this hardcore mileage + long run stuff you guys are talking about. Sure go out and see how a 20miler feels but you sound too stressed about this.. Just gotta show up with balls and when the wall comes fight through. For a site where ppl claim to be fast I am shocked by how soft the responses have been, def disappointing. "Should be able to" and what not.. No wonder not as many post college guys can run in the 2:20s like they did in the 80s.. You all sound defeated before you even get out there.

Since my first I've done more than 10 with fastest 2:29 in Boston in 2010. Have to admit I trained considerably for that one, but for all others I throw in cruise control and would be damned if I ever saw anything over 2:50.

LM wrote:

I'll preface by saying I haven't run a marathon, so I'm looking for people with experience to correct me.

My thought process has always been that a 3 hour marathon should be pretty much nothing for a 16:xx type guy, especially at the low end of that, the reasoning being that pace is basically a nice easy run pace.

I've done plenty of easy runs at 5k + 1:30, as long as 23 miles, and never felt any difficulty. Sure I was tired the last few miles but far drom destroyed and gritting to maintain pace. If anything I could have really focused and picked up the pace.

Obviously 3 hours is pretty dang tough if 6:55 pace is outside your easy run wheelhouse...but assuming that 3 hr pace is easy pace, it doesn't seem like it should take much training if you already have mileage and a couple decent long runs.

You are pretty much right on.

I am one of those guys that has to train to break 3 hours and it isn't easy for me. But, I can acknowledge the fact that a low 16 5K runner could do it pretty easily. The OP could break 3 tomorrow with no additional training as long as he doesn't make the rookie mistake of going too hard in the early miles. Stick to 6:50 pace and he is sub 3 EASY.

I can't believe how many guys are getting butt hurt over the OP's question. What is hard for you isn't hard for everyone and it isn't their fault.

This, exactly. I ran 3:00:27 off of 40 mpw with no runs longer than the two halves that I ran in training. I ran 17:04 for 5k the week before the marathon. In my next attempt at the 26.2 distance, I bumped to 50 mpw and got down to 16:33 3 weeks before my marathon. No runs over 16 miles. Ended up with a 2:48.

OP, based on your postings of your past and recent performances, based on your ability to glean the sensible stuff from this thread (respect the distance) and ignore the trash from this thread, my calculator show you have a 92.5% chance of breaking 3:00 on your first try.

You're one person and everyone can't run 2:29 just like you can't run 2:09. I ran 2:44 in my 2nd marathon and I was 18, big deal as what does that have to do with the OP attempting to break 3 hours...nothing. Your age, body weight, ability, etc...are not equal with everyone else's.

Just show up with balls? No, you have to train properly and then you gut it out during the tough patches. I didn't read many posts that sounded defeated before even getting out there, so you lost me there. Hardcore milage, I didn't hear that either. You're training for a marathon, not a 400m race and there IS a difference.

Good luck OP and I too am trying to break 3 hours again...at my age:)

Well put. Nice post, seriously.

You're one person and everyone can't run 2:29 just like you can't run 2:09. I ran 2:44 in my 2nd marathon and I was 18, big deal as what does that have to do with the OP attempting to break 3 hours...nothing. Your age, body weight, ability, etc...are not equal with everyone else's.

Just show up with balls? No, you have to train properly and then you gut it out during the tough patches. I didn't read many posts that sounded defeated before even getting out there, so you lost me there. Hardcore milage, I didn't hear that either. You're training for a marathon, not a 400m race and there IS a difference.

Good luck OP and I too am trying to break 3 hours again...at my age:)[/quote]

Prospective Marathoner wrote:

Whoa, what's with the attitude? I'm planning on going out at ~6:50 pace and picking it up a little in the last few miles. Shouldn't be problem. I'll come back and post after I do it, probably this fall.

How did it go? What time?

Do it while you can

did it work? wrote:

Prospective Marathoner wrote:

Whoa, what's with the attitude? I'm planning on going out at ~6:50 pace and picking it up a little in the last few miles. Shouldn't be problem. I'll come back and post after I do it, probably this fall.

How did it go? What time?

I ended up getting in shape for a ten-miler and doing that (55:50). One day I will run a marathon and post it on this exact thread!

Bottled it

Depends. If you train like you normally do, which probably means running way faster than 6'50 pace and don't change anything leading up to the race, you might fail.

Your body will not be primed to household energy for a long period of time at 6'50 pace and this could do some serious stuff to your legs in the last 5mi of the race.

If you do M-pace workouts for 4-5wks before the race, say building up to 10-12mi at 6'35-6'50, no sweat. Easy.

Prospective Marathoner wrote:

did it work? wrote:

How did it go? What time?

I ended up getting in shape for a ten-miler and doing that (55:50). One day I will run a marathon and post it on this exact thread!

"Well, maybe someday you can run enough to finish a marathon like Joe in accounting. He's run 10 of them so far! "

Mirax Terrick wrote:

Detroit wrote:

Yes and no. Im slower than you but I've crushed many an a*shole who thought they had it all figured out on their first 26.2.

SO when you ask 'how hard it is' it seems like you want to take the easiest route to sub 3... I bet you walk in to a 3:06. Congrats.

You sound like an a*shole

yeah, wow.

So Detroit, what was your debut and what were your prs going in?

10+/10

Great topic to suck in the masses; on 3rd page already and no one else called out trolling. Really good stuff.

For someone with your history it won't be hard at all. I'm sure you can hit it in your first or second try as long as you dont have something crazy happen to you on race day (cramps, terrible weather, etc..)

Running a sub 3 marathon should not be too hard for you. It's good that you have lots of time to prepare for enduring that long of a run. It seems like if you actually devoted serious time to it, you could go a lot faster than 3.

Get used to long runs, experiment with nutrition on them, and study the course. Doing this will help offset some of your inexperience at the distance. You could be looking at a really good time if you train hard. And if you don't want to train hard, at least do some long runs beforehand so that miles 22-26 are not a totally miserable experience!