Martinez marathon plans

well........ wrote:

Martinez already runs 70+ mile weeks with 14 mile long runs. Doesn't seem far fetched that she'd try the marathon when she gets older.

http://fittish.deadspin.com/why-the-800-comes-down-to-hunters-and-the-hunted-1699308516

If I was running 70+ miles and primarily an 800 runner, I'd be a little bit worried about how to convert to the marathon. How much aerobic capacity is left for her in a marathon based program?

Actually wrote:

Wasn't Grete Waitz originally a 1500m runner?

Yes. She was bronze medalist in the 1500m at the European Championships in 1974, and she still holds the Norwegian national record at 4:00.55

Her account of her first marathon is a fun read:

Her longest run before setting the world record in her first attempt at the distance was 12 miles. Here's how she described her process of getting an invitation:

"The first time I called the New York Road Runners Club to get an invitation to the 1978 marathon, I was turned down. I had never run a marathon before and when they asked for my records, I gave them my track and field accomplishments, but it was all in short-distance events."

I mean, eventually she's going to get tired of hearing her running buddies asking her why she's never done a marathon or people at parties saying "Oh, I have a friend who is a real runner. He does marathons."

well........ wrote:

I thought I remember from that documentary on Fred Lebow that nyrr had to convince her to do it?

Actually wrote:

Wasn't Grete Waitz originally a 1500m runner?

Yes. She was bronze medalist in the 1500m at the European Championships in 1974, and she still holds the Norwegian national record at 4:00.55

Her account of her first marathon is a fun read:

http://www.marathonguide.com/features/firstmarathons/index.cfm?Story=Waitz

Her longest run before setting the world record in her first attempt at the distance was 12 miles. Here's how she described her process of getting an invitation:

"The first time I called the New York Road Runners Club to get an invitation to the 1978 marathon, I was turned down. I had never run a marathon before and when they asked for my records, I gave them my track and field accomplishments, but it was all in short-distance events."

Quentin Cassidy

She's 28. International competition - bronze medal @ 800m. She laces up for 1500m shortly. She's shown a good 5k progression @ Carlsbad and it makes sense that Vigil has her gearing up for that jump.

She would never just jump to the marathon. The article definitely shows her wanting to do a half and contemplating beyond that. She's young enough to train and try the half in the next year and a half.

money.

She may have recognized that the 800 has become impossible due to the dominance of androgynous athletes. The 1500 is also hyper-competitive and not a place where a 30+ year old runner can thrive. The US is not very deep in the marathon. In 2020, Desi will be 37, Shalane 39, Kara 42, and Amy Hastings-Cragg will be 36. They may still be competitive, but won't be getting any faster. Molly Huddle will move up, but she will be 35 in 2020.

Beyond those ladies, there really isn't anyone else who can reliably run 2:26-28.

Plus the money she can get for making her debut in NY or Boston is hard to pass up. And if she can get on the podium at either race, her sponsorship value goes up exponentially. She is probably undervalued in her sponsorship deals and could be very marketable if she ran a fast marathon.

Precious Roy wrote:

She may have recognized that the 800 has become impossible due to the dominance of androgynous athletes. The 1500 is also hyper-competitive and not a place where a 30+ year old runner can thrive. The US is not very deep in the marathon. In 2020, Desi will be 37, Shalane 39, Kara 42, and Amy Hastings-Cragg will be 36. They may still be competitive, but won't be getting any faster. Molly Huddle will move up, but she will be 35 in 2020.

Beyond those ladies, there really isn't anyone else who can reliably run 2:26-28.

Plus the money she can get for making her debut in NY or Boston is hard to pass up. And if she can get on the podium at either race, her sponsorship value goes up exponentially. She is probably undervalued in her sponsorship deals and could be very marketable if she ran a fast marathon.

You are spot on. Coach Vigil lays a solid base in his training that is endurance focused.Longer steady runs that for many may resemble more like 5/10k runners training. Sure its just talk now, but I would not be surprised to see her try more 5/10k racing in the near future.

Precious Roy wrote:

She may have recognized that the 800 has become impossible due to the dominance of androgynous athletes. The 1500 is also hyper-competitive and not a place where a 30+ year old runner can thrive. The US is not very deep in the marathon. In 2020, Desi will be 37, Shalane 39, Kara 42, and Amy Hastings-Cragg will be 36. They may still be competitive, but won't be getting any faster. Molly Huddle will move up, but she will be 35 in 2020.

Beyond those ladies, there really isn't anyone else who can reliably run 2:26-28.

Plus the money she can get for making her debut in NY or Boston is hard to pass up. And if she can get on the podium at either race, her sponsorship value goes up exponentially. She is probably undervalued in her sponsorship deals and could be very marketable if she ran a fast marathon.

Thank you! People want you in the best event for you currently. When I was running her tempo run pace and her long run distance, I ran 2:36. I dropped 20 seconds off my tempo pace, added 2 miles to my tempo runs, and 6 miles to my long runs I got down to 2:22. I could easily see her being competitive. You know, for an American.

Diego Estrada DNF

The chick "tempos" 3 milers in 15 minutes. No way she makes it through marathon training w/o totally killing herself. She'll "tempo" 20 miles at 5:30 pace and she'll either DNS, DNF or end up blowing up to 2:40+.

Seriously mate? wrote:

The chick "tempos" 3 milers in 15 minutes. No way she makes it through marathon training w/o totally killing herself. She'll "tempo" 20 miles at 5:30 pace and she'll either DNS, DNF or end up blowing up to 2:40+.

No one is saying that she wouldn't change her paces to something more appropriate...sheesh. 2:40 either is - or is very close - to a US qualifier for the trials. Get your qualifier and 1st marathon mistakes out of the way and then run well at the trials.

You're an idiot, she was 4 times All-Big West in cross country. Don't post things that you spent 3 seconds googling - it is not YOUR friend

Here are her results from the Big West XC championships:

2005 10th 21:43

2006 34th 24:20

2007 4th 21:35

2008 4th 20:19

And her more recent results at 5km, track and road:

2013

15:35.65

15:30.89 (mixed field, i.e., men & women)

15:44 road Carlsbad

2014

15:41.50

15:24 road Carlsbad (short course -- this was the year the course was remeasured and determined to have been 13.5 feet short)

Given that these have not been a primary focus of her training, these 5km road and track, and 6km XC marks, over a period of several years, show a decent capacity at least at these distances.

Never say never for Lagat regarding the marathon. Remember he did run the NYC half a few years ago in 1:02 and change. If he were to choose a flat course like Chicago where he could get into a good rhythm I could see him running between 2:12-2:15.

Looking at her training, it looks like ideal 5k training to me. She could probably run 2:40 this weekend if she wanted.

I think moving up to eventually compete in the marathon is a great move if it is something that she is motivated to do. She probably won't be a world-beater, but I'd fully expect her to have sub-2:35 capability at a minimum. It would be interesting to see what she's capable of.

team valor