In response to all, I ran two half marathons slightly under marathon pace (not all out effort) leading up to the marathon, the last being 2 weeks out from the race.
I kept telling myself the next mile was going to get better, but it never came. I listened to an Amy Cragg interview once saying that is her mantra in a marathon and have tried to adopt it - telling myself the next mile will be easier. It just never came this time around.
It is very possible that you were not ready to run 6:20. Running 14 miles and a couple of half marathons at marathon pace does not imply you can run twice as much at the same pace on marathon day.
It also looks like you did not race much before the marathon. Many people recommend running a few tune-up races during the preparation.
A couple of methods that predict well marathon pace (for me at least) are: 1) run an 18 mile race two months from the marathon and add 5-10 seconds to the pace; 2) race a half about three weeks from the marathon and add ~25-30 seconds to the pace.
PeterSSquash wrote:
In response to all, I ran two half marathons slightly under marathon pace (not all out effort) leading up to the marathon, the last being 2 weeks out from the race.
My vote goes to insufficient taper. Thirteen miles at faster-than-marathon pace two weeks before? Two-mile repeats at MP the week of the marathon? Too much. That last week should a huge reduction in mileage, with a limited volume of faster stuff (like 5 x 90-seconds at 5K pace).
PeterSSquash wrote:
In response to all, I ran two half marathons slightly under marathon pace (not all out effort) leading up to the marathon, the last being 2 weeks out from the race.
Slightly under MP for a half-marathon? You were never going to hit your MP goal.
Per other posts, a half two weeks out from your goal event is too much.
pop_pop!_v2.2.1 wrote:
PeterSSquash wrote:
In response to all, I ran two half marathons slightly under marathon pace (not all out effort) leading up to the marathon, the last being 2 weeks out from the race.
Slightly under MP for a half-marathon? You were never going to hit your MP goal.
Per other posts, a half two weeks out from your goal event is too much.
I agree with pop_pop!
pop_pop - are you saying that because that effort is too close to the marathon date?