What does it take to run Sub 3 hours?

The times from HS show that you are more than capable of a sub-3 given proper training. Of course, many former HS runners with your history have tried and failed to break 3 hours.

Focus on becoming a runner again. Rebuilding the habit is the hardest part for anyone who has been out of the sport. Run consistently, if only for 2-3 miles a day the first week. Sign up for 5ks and 10ks this fall as motivation and to ensure that you stay on track. The weight will come off as you increase mileage.

You only need something around a 1:24 HM to feel confident about breaking 3, as long as you've done the marathon-specific work to back it up, somewhere around 70 mpw with good long runs and MP work.

fffdsfdfd wrote:

rnr_ wrote:

I ran a 2:57 off of around 70 mpw. Previous PRs were:

Marathon - 3:17

Half - 1:28:35

5K - 19:15

The half / 5K were >1 year prior to the 2:57, the 3:17 marathon was ~7 months prior.

Can you train me? That's pretty impressive.

Ha, yeah, I could train you but I didn't really do anything super unique. I started off with the base Hanson's advanced plan and modified it a bit so I could consistently hit 60-70 mpw. Some of the modifications included:

> no days completely off of running.

> did long runs every weekend instead of every other.

> extended some of the mid-week easy runs.

> extended the long runs up to a max of 20 miles (2.5 hrs of running).

> Did a lot of MP running during the long runs. Some of the long run key workouts included 18 with 14 at MP, 20 with the first 10 easy and the last 10 at slightly faster than MP.

I guess I just responded well to the consistent higher mileage which isn't too surprising. The other PRs I listed are relatively soft when compared to that marathon PR.

you went slighty faster than me in high school, after 4 years off of running (lots of drinking) at age 22 I was able to easily break 3 hrs (rough last 10k, also not great weather conditions. While training for this I was barey running over 40 miles, basically doing a long run, a few easy runs, short tempo and still drinking all weekend. I was in 1745 - 5k shape.

So at your age and talent, no problem this spring breaking 3 hrs. If you were older, I might not say this. The biggest issue is whether you will get injured or not with ramping up your long runs after the time off.

My advice from my experience is to worry about getting back to 1:18 shape before considering the marathon. The marathon sucks if you don't have the proper base.

Since a hand full of people have run 55 minutes faster than 3 hours... you would think that 3 hours would be a piece of cake.

If you can't break 3 hours there has to be something seriously wrong with you.. c'mon now!

yeah dude you should be fine. Just get back into it. You have lots of talent. I ran similar times on the track (albeit a few years later) and pulled out a 2:45 marathon off of 5 weeks of training, maxing out at 40 mpw, with a 16 mile long run. I'm 5'10 and was probably 145 at the time- you sound like you're naturally thin so getting back to ~130 should be easy once you start running again.

I've seen hardcore 15:10 5k runners only do 2:51 in their first marathon. They also had a 1:11 half...

and maybe the timing system will make a mistake and subtract exactly 1 hour from your time so you run 1:58:00

I smoked for 13 years, quit, started running at 30 years old and wasn't able to break 3 hours until I was 37.

You have a definite advantage being so young, only smoking a couple of years and being lot more talented than I was.

I ran almost everyday, gradually working up to 50-60 miles a week consistently. After running 17:45 5K, 36:25 10K & 1:19:50 half. I ran 2 months of 60-75 mile weeks with a 20-22 mile run every weekend and managed a 2:54:51 marathon with a pit stop at 15 miles.

.I would think you could run under 2:50 easily with the proper time and training.

The problem is you have be serious and actually do the work.

trackbot! VDOT 17:20 5k

Odb23 wrote:

What type of training times, mileage, Prs, ect. Does it take to run a marathon in under 3 hours let's say 2:58 I have been out of the sport for a few years (I'm 21 now) quit track my senior year due to injuries, ran 1:18 half marathon my sophomore year and Prs in track we're 4:30 mile 9:42 2 mile in HS

You should comfortably be able to run a sub 3 based on your background but as is often said, the marathon is like no other event and so take nothing for granted. I ran my first marathon this year with the specific broad goal of breaking 3:00 but in my build up I ran a 34:XX 10K and 1:16 HM so figured I would shoot for around 2:45 as had a decent flat course with good weather.

On the day, I set off bang on 2:45 pace and was feeling great until ~ mile 19 when I started to feel twinges in my legs. Nope, I wasn't hitting the wall as was fuelling well but ran into cramp and it was so severe that by mile 21 I was reduced to stopping, stretching and in severe pain with the thought I was never gonna finish. This continued until about mile 23 when I managed to grit my teeth and get back into a groove and hold onto 7:00 miles. I eventually finished in 2:53 but wow do I thank myself lucky that my legs never completely failed as at mile 22 I was so screwed that I seriously thought I was going in the ambulance at the side of the road.

Thing is, I had done six 20+ mile runs averaging about 20-30s + MP in my build up and nothing from my training suggested I would get cramp so it was the biggest shock of my life.

Anyway, point is, take absolutely nothing for granted and respect every bit of those 26.2 miles!

Good luck

VDOT for 17:20 5km: 58.9

Equivalent race times based on VDOT:

Marathon: 02:45:58

Half marathon: 01:19:24

15K: 00:55:10

10K: 00:35:55

5K: 00:17:19

3Mi: 00:16:41

2Mi: 00:10:47

3200m: 00:10:43

3K: 00:10:00

1Mi: 00:05:02

1600m: 00:05:00

1500m: 00:04:40

I am a bot. Info:

http://habs.sdf.org/trackbot

3 years off of running, you start from scratch, more or less.

A sub 3 could be take at least 9-12 months of serious training.

Trackbot! VDOT 1:18:00 half marathon

VDOT for 1:18:00 21.0975km: 60.1

Equivalent race times based on VDOT:

Marathon: 02:43:08

Half marathon: 01:18:01

15K: 00:54:13

10K: 00:35:18

5K: 00:17:01

3Mi: 00:16:24

2Mi: 00:10:36

3200m: 00:10:32

3K: 00:09:49

1Mi: 00:04:57

1600m: 00:04:55

1500m: 00:04:35

I am a bot. Info:

http://habs.sdf.org/trackbot

rnr_ wrote:

I ran a 2:57 off of around 70 mpw. Previous PRs were:

Marathon - 3:17

Half - 1:28:35

5K - 19:15

The half / 5K were >1 year prior to the 2:57, the 3:17 marathon was ~7 months prior.

Damn, those times are very close to mine, and I'd also like to run sub-3.

Marathon - 3:22

Half - 1:28:12

5K - 19:03

So... I should run 70 mpw for 7 months?

harder than it looks wrote:

I've seen hardcore 15:10 5k runners only do 2:51 in their first marathon. They also had a 1:11 half...

A 14:53 / 30:51 / 1:07:26 runner ran her first marathon in 2:40.

You'll be fine. All those PRs are well under the equivalent times for a 3:00 marathon. Still need to train, obviously.

Odb23 wrote:

What type of training times, mileage, Prs, ect. Does it take to run a marathon in under 3 hours let's say 2:58 I have been out of the sport for a few years (I'm 21 now) quit track my senior year due to injuries, ran 1:18 half marathon my sophomore year and Prs in track we're 4:30 mile 9:42 2 mile in HS

At your age, you should be able to get back to your 1:18 half pr, once you are back in 1:18 shape, a sub-3 marathon is a given. 1:18 is my half pr and I have run well below 3 hours off of relatively low mileage.

Runner of sub-3s wrote:

... as long as you've done the marathon-specific work to back it up, somewhere around 70 mpw with good long runs and MP work.

I did 70-80 mpw for about a year when I was 17, and then ran a 2:59:20.

After many years of no running, I worked my way back to doing 70-80 mpw at age 45, and ran a 3:04:44. Thus, if you do 70-80 mpw for a year at age 21, you can easily run a sub-3.