Retire or train my ass off for low 2:20s?

Nobody can tell you. Some people up the mileage to 100 and get slower. Some turn into 14:30 runners and drop 2:19 marathons. Other than doing the work, you have no way of knowing. 2:25 isn't absurd (i.e. 2:15 would be:)) but again their are no guarantees. Might as well do it for 3-4 months and see how you handle it.

Do you think I would feel a great sense of accomplishment going from 2:30 to 2:25? I go back and forth in my mind on whether it is that big of a deal. Would I feel any better if I get an 89 percent on the exam vs an 81? Both scores amount to the same letter grade. I know this is a personal question I’ll have to answer myself, but I definitely have thoughts that the amount of work required to improve 5 minutes wouldn’t bring that much joy.

"Guys like us don't retire, we just quit" - my wise training partner out on a weekend long run.

You're clearly talented and you've clearly put a lot of work into the sport. Since you're only running 60 mpw, there's at least one more obvious thing to try to see if you will improve significantly. If you walk away now, you will always wonder where you might have gone. If you were just debating between training methods, like wondering if you should try Pfitz after a couple years of Daniels, then I'd say you were already pretty close to your potential. But some people reap huge gains from raising mileage, and it's probably worth a year or so of experimentation to find out if you're one of them

It’s not about whether hitting a certain would be worth it, it’s about seeing how fast you can run.

Do you want to quit now and later think you could have run faster?

You’ll never get another chance in your life yo find out.

What’s your opportunity cost?

What will you miss out on if you try this and will that be cost be permanent?

Your times don't indicate a low 2:20 marathon.

Your long run is way too long for a 60 MPW runner. malmo would not approve.

I appreciate the feedback. My workouts have been solid, but I don’t see myself improving much more off only 60 mpw. I guess it is logical to bump up my mileage. One of two things will happen. I could get faster and reach my true potential. Or I don’t get any faster. If the latter is true, I will know I’ve reached my potential and can focus on other hobbies and be proud that I did the best I could. I’ll give it another 3-6 months after my marathon. Thanks again.

Predictor wrote:

Your times don't indicate a low 2:20 marathon.

He knows that and says so, and asks if he should increase his training , please keep up

Let’s say you have another 70 years to live. You realistically have another 5-10 years to chase PR’s. If running is something that you enjoy go for it. You will have another 60 years for other hobbies.

Givetallugot wrote:

I’m 29. Training only 60 miles a week off 6 days. Long run consistently at 20. Times this year have been 15:25 5k and 1:11:10 solo half. My workouts have been 6-7 mile tempos at half marathon pace and 4x1 mile treadmill repeats at 5:00 with 4 min rest.

I think I’m in 2:30 full marathon shape. I’ll find out soon. I realize my mileage is very low compared to many who run similar times. I know I’ll never qualify for the Olympic Trials.

Yes, you should.

I was almost identical 34 yrs ago, 100km/wk, 15:21, 1:11:12 and ran

I am Sam wrote:

Yes, you should.

I was almost identical 34 yrs ago, 100km/wk, 15:21, 1:11:12 and ran

Rest of post disappeared into ether.

...anyway, ran sub 2:28, and might have run low 2:20's were it not for a bio-mechanically stuffed body that couldn't handle more mileage.

I worry more these days that after still running low 3's three years ago, I struggle to regain fitness after a period of over indulgence.

How important will it (2:20) be one day?

Let me give this example of my life from the opposite end.

I knew that I could kick a last km in a training run sub 2:40, so one Saturday at the track I joined the gun 800m runners on a whim to break 2min (they usually ran sub 1:50). With road running shoes, I heard the bell and 54, 55, 56, 57 as I came through quite comfortably mid pack, then 1:31 (600) and carrying a piano on back down the straight for a 2:05.

I still ask myself why I didn't put in some specific training for a sub 2 after that, just for the mantelpiece today, despite other achievements, because its the 800m, and how cool given my butt was kicked at school.

So ask yourself , how important will it be one day to know you did it?

Depends on whether you enjoy it or not. If you do go for it. However if you don’t, you may regret it 10-20 years from now. The old how good could I have been regret

If you do retire, as you put it, does that mean you’re going to stop running and being in shape? Do you enjoy running for its own sake? Or mostly the pursuit of results? Not judging just curious.

Is the real question ‘should I stop caring?’

Retire, quit, cash in your chips, pack it in...whatever you choose to call it.

By you posting this crap on this site tells me that you’re done. If you had the desire you wouldn’t be looking for answers that you want to hear from anonymous people.

So just quit. Jog for health or take up another activity, but stop lamenting about deciding to dedicate yourself to training. If you need such encouragement you won’t find the self-dedication it takes anyway. So call it a day.

Train your a$$ off and go for it - YOLO.

Go for it.

Yes you can run low 2:20.

I appreciate the honesty. You’re right in that a big part of me is telling me I’m done. This is mostly due to the fact that I train on my own 5-6 days a week. However, when I train with other people once a week, I love running again. Still, I know the bulk of my fitness will come from how well I’m able to train solo.

I didn’t post this looking for encouragement. I was genuinely curious if people gained any additional satisfaction by improving from 2:30 to 2:25 and if they felt their hard work was worth the results.

Right now I’ve determined I can’t get much faster off my current mileage, so I’ll give high mileage a try for 6 months. If I don’t get any faster, then I’ll quit running. I’ll turn to lifting and team sports and hobby jog with my girlfriend who is close to being a Boston Qualifier.

I appreciate everyone’s feedback!

If you're interested in the team aspect, why not join a local running club and train and compete in the team stuff?

The difference between a 2:30 marathon and a 2:25 marathon seems almost completely arbitrary. If you get lucky with perfect weather on the right course, you could probably run a 2:25 with the same effort that would yield a 2:30 on a different course. Maybe 2:25 sounds moderately better when telling your war stories at a cocktail party, but would it really matter that much to you?