Been running WAY too long, now it's time to chase that BQ.

Sounds like you’re in 4 hour shape. Just get a pair of vaporflys and you’re practically there. Maybe find yourself a downhill course. I think there’s a race in the alps where they drop you from a helicopter and you can pretty much slide your way to a 2:30 finish.

I've actually got two pairs of 4%s so I can get twice the gains for 8% total.

Realtalk one of my favorite photos of myself is circa 22 pushing my wheelchair athlete into a ~4hr30 finish past a lady in 4%s walking.

Start with something more achievable, ideally at a lower distance

Maybe a 25 min 5k

I did a 22:xx about 5 weeks ago on a whim

alreadyknowiamslow wrote:

I did a 22:xx about 5 weeks ago on a whim

Then a 20 min 5k

Point is if your half is 1:55, you are still a long ways from going sub 3 in a full marathon.

You should focus on more manageable goals first. Plus if you do everything slowly, then you can be fit from some speed specific work

TrackBot! VDOT 2:59:59 42.2k

Fair enough. I'm not trying to brag about anything here, I know I've got a long way to go. I think my history shows I can put the time in. Is it mostly just a matter of running a time or two a week really hard? Because I'm over 500mi so far this year, and it's not like I'm getting any faster.

Do you want my honest opinion?

Stop running marathons for the next 5 years.

You're just p!ssing in the wind aiming for a BQ if you have zero speed. Get your mile down to 5:00-5:20 and then maybe running ~7 min miles for 26.2 will be more realistic for you. You’ll get way more toned, way stronger and way more healthy doing this anyway.

Being skinny fat is a sign of lack of speed, strength and power, work on that. Your metabolism is bad because you lack muscle and conditioning. These long distance runs are useless for you. Get conditioned from 3 miles and down before moving up to longer distance. I guarentee you 100% of sub 3 marathonners are coming from a background (sport or college running) where they have HAD TO spend a few years on their 800m to 5k speed before they took on the marathon.

GET FAST FIRST.

alreadyknowiamslow wrote:

Fair enough. I'm not trying to brag about anything here, I know I've got a long way to go. I think my history shows I can put the time in. Is it mostly just a matter of running a time or two a week really hard? Because I'm over 500mi so far this year, and it's not like I'm getting any faster.

Buy a running book (like faster road racing by pfitz), and follow one of their 5k or 10k plans

I'm sure you all get a lot of people who come here suprised when they don't get coddled, but this is the advice I appreciate. I know I don't have the background a lot of you have, and I know I'm not well set up. But knowing what to do is better than not. Cheers.

alreadyknowiamslow wrote:

I'm sure you all get a lot of people who come here suprised when they don't get coddled, but this is the advice I appreciate. I know I don't have the background a lot of you have, and I know I'm not well set up. But knowing what to do is better than not. Cheers.

You’re also ugly and not very good in bed.

If you run a 22 minute 5k and. 1:55 half that shows your endurance is lacking. The best way to correct this isn’t to go pound out 9 minute miles every day but work on your SPEED ENDURANCE and work upwards.

Run 30-40 mile weeks at 9:00 pace, sure.

But do a lot of intervals at 5:00 - 6:00 pace.

In the 200m to 600m range should be efficient, build up over a couple of months to the 600s though.

People at your level of speed who delve into “semi-serious” marathon training straight away get hurt. It is all well and good training for a marathon as a one time thing for charity and running a 5:30 but the fcat that you want to BQ says to me you want to take running seriously, I respect that. And a 22 minute 5k isn’t terrible fitness level to be at but you need to be in the 18-19 minute range beforee you can even stuff a BQ.

If you want to maintain running for life then do not tackle the marathon any time soon. Marathon runners running 70-90 mile base weeks have build up to that over 10-15 years and you need to have your muscles in balance and have good functional strength in order to build up to that without getting injured. Hill running and weights shall sort this out.

My suggestion is pick the shortest distance even you are willing to train for (the shorter, the better if you lack speed) and move upwards from there. This year, focus on the mile. Next year, the 3200 or 5k and then move up to the 10k. And then in the following years the half and full. This will allow you to build your speed now and then your mileage GRADUALLY over the years, this is the best way to do it. You cannot expect to go from running 30 mile weeks to SERIOUS marathon training quickly without being injured. It might take the muscles, brain(mental strength) and lungs less than a year to adapt to mileage but takes the joints, bones and ligaments years to adapt.

Honestly mate, I say this because I want you to enjoy running for a long time and not just burn out - strengthen your muscles, get fast, runn hard hills, practice sprinting and coordination for a while before even thinking about training seriously for long distance.

Don’t worry about all the naysayers...

I have never ran in HS or college and run sub-3:00 at 48yo after only starting running 2 years prior to that;)

But I agree with some of the above advice. You need endurance and decent base of running over 1-3 solid years of running... Shorter, if you have good genetics, longer if not... I’d probably focus on MAF running and getting your weekly mileage to 40+ miles without getting injured. Try to train and work on your halfs. You need to get them down to at least 1:26-1:27 to have even a slightest chance to go sub-3:00... And lose some weight, if you carry on xtra pounds;)

Just focus on continuous improvements in your halfs and see where it gets you... If you can get down to about 1:35, then start training for marathons... That’s in case, if you want to BQ.... Otherwise, you can always run a sub-4:00;)

This

Everyone on this thread is wrong. Just keep doing what you’re doing. In 30 years, you’ll be able to qualify.

Identify as female. That’ll make it 30 minutes easier. If you’re already female, then disregard.