10k- 39:34; 1/2 M- 1:35:19... how can I break 3?

Remember you asked for advice wrote:

Race is this weekend or in two weeks? I know you're pretty set on 6:52 pace. Still would suggest going out 7:10-715 for the the first 5K and then maybe drop to 7:00-7:05 for the next 5-10K and work your way down if you're still feeling you got 20 amazing miles in you.

I get it, and know you're pretty fixed on the goal, but if you truly have the fitness, you should be able to build and feel great. Because if you go out at 6:45 and your body isn't feeling it, things are going to be fine for a long time, but around miles 16-20 it's gonna really suck.

Trust yourself, but be honest with yourself.

This is very good advice. You have to ask yourself, what's more important, running under 3 or running the fastest possible time. Going for your fastest will require you to take risks that may or may not pay off and if they don't it can cost you big time. The first time I broke 3, I was probably in about 2:56 shape, but I knew how temperamental the marathon is so I did basically what is described above...ran a 1+ min negative split, felt amazing at the end and ran 2:58:4X.

6:52 probably feels easy to you now, and will definitely feel easy for the first 10+ miles of a race, but you have to put yourself in the position where it feels doable (not even easy) after 20+ miles.

How did your marathon a year ago go?

letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=9161874

I cancelled it due left knee pain. I had only been running 3 months at that point and had ramped mileage up much to quickly.

Remember you asked for advice wrote:

Race is this weekend or in two weeks? I know you're pretty set on 6:52 pace. Still would suggest going out 7:10-715 for the the first 5K and then maybe drop to 7:00-7:05 for the next 5-10K and work your way down if you're still feeling you got 20 amazing miles in you.

I get it, and know you're pretty fixed on the goal, but if you truly have the fitness, you should be able to build and feel great. Because if you go out at 6:45 and your body isn't feeling it, things are going to be fine for a long time, but around miles 16-20 it's gonna really suck.

Trust yourself, but be honest with yourself.

Yeah I definitely do not plan to go out at Goal Pace. I think 7:15's progressing down to 6:50 for the first 13 miles is the plan. Hold 6:45s til mile 20. Then what happens after mile 20 is between me and God.

Have you ever run in Adidas Bostons? If you have and feel comfortable in them, I think that's a great shoe to race a marathon in.

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

Have you ever run in Adidas Bostons? If you have and feel comfortable in them, I think that's a great shoe to race a marathon in.

I went out and got the Adidas Adizero Adios 4s, been breaking them in. The guy at fleet feet said I should just run in my Asic Gel Nimbus trainers. But like I said, I think I'm on cusp so unfortunately I'm relying on lighter shoes and somewhat expensive gu gels to narrow the gap between me and 2:59.

Sorry you had to pull out because of injury. It was cool watching your training on here. But I bet if you go back to the beginning of the thread and read all of the great advice you originally asked for, you could have avoided the injury. Best of luck to your recovery and future training!

Gentlemen, 2:57:XX. 1:30:xx / 1:26:xx

And thats how you go from a 1:35 to a 2:57 in 13 weeks. Appreciate all the relevant comments, i.e. telling me to slow down easy days and ditch the intervals (slowed them down, never ditched). Didnt think i had it in me but the 6:40s kept rolling off the watch. Never hit the wall so now when I missout on a BQ, only myself to blame for not pushing harder. Also, non vaporfly aided :P

Awesome work. I’m in the high 2:56s and hope we both get in (though a bit wary). You end up doing the Adios? I’m envious of that negative split you must’ve been feeling fresh out there.

Nice work, indeed.

Also curious about the shoes. And how was the weather? Where do you go from here? Boston, I know, but that's a looooong ways away.

keepgoing wrote:

Nice work, indeed.

Also curious about the shoes. And how was the weather? Where do you go from here? Boston, I know, but that's a looooong ways away.

Thank you @ThoughtLeader @keepgoing @allen1959 for the encouragement. I put in the work but I still would have bet against myself. @Thoughtsleader I hope we both get Boston too!

It was perfect weather, started at 41° and I believe it was 49° when I finished.

Shoes - adidas adizero adios 4. got them for $90 two weeks ago.

1st half 7:12, 7:21, 7:06, 7:12, 6:40, 6:45, 6:59, 6:31, 6:57, 6:44, 6:54, 6:31, 6:21 (1:30:XX)

2nd half 6:34, 6:41, 6:44, 6:40, 6:45, 6:40, 6:34, 6:30, 6:36, 6:42, 6:48, 6:37, 6:24 (1:26:XX)

Now time for 2 weeks off. Then train to break 37 in the 10k late March. Then train to break 4:30 in the mile in August. Hopefully I will get a spot in Boston and start training for that in September.

I'll be damned. The lying son of a b**** did it. I'll take my serving of crow. Good on you, Stil.

Thanks @Stillthisguy . My thoughts after rereading the first few pages of this thread - most of the folks on letsrun dont know squat about training, or they just like watching other people fail. In either case, sad! But I'm still damn happy.