Reverand, I mean that my target race time is 3:30 but I have no idea whether I'm being overly optimistic, spot on or overly pessimistic.
My longest run will be about 19-20 miles at the end of March - a week after the Wilmslow half and three weeks before race day.
Cheers Iain - very useful info mate.
If you're aiming for 3:30 ( 8 min/mile ) then I wouldn't be doing any sections of my long runs at 6:45 - 7:00 pace.
The plan I follow has myweekly long run alternating weeks between at 10-20% slower than target pace, and progressive ( but progressive from the slower pace up to marathon pace, but not any faster ).
If you can do some miles at 6:45 - 7:00 at end of a long run, then ( with all other appropriate training ) then I'd say you were on for nearer 3 than 3:30. Depends though how much other mileage you are doing during the week. The plan I'm following has me running 6 days a week, including a medium length mid-week of about 12-15, so already quite tired at start of a Sunday long run. If you're fresher at start of run, then easier to knock out a decent pace.
Unwritten rule that is often quoted is to try and get your 5 longest runs to be at least 100 miles, ie averaging 20 miles. Say building up 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Good luck !
Cheers Yaks.Originally Posted by Yaks
This is exactly what I'm unsure of - I set 3:30 as a target at the start of November when I was my heaviest ever and struggling to run 4 miles at 8 minute mile pace. I've actually got a lot fitter than I anticipated by this point and I'm now wondering whether I'd been too cautious with my target.
I gave up racing competitively about 12 years ago and am now about 20kg heavier than my old racing weight but I've made a few 'comebacks' (before getting injured...again) over the last few years and get myself into about 18 minute 5km pace within 3-4 months but the marathon is a complete unknown to me and a world apart from a 5k race!
Not doing huge mileage at the moment - probably 30 miles a week..ish but going to ramp that up before the race. I guess it's trial and error - if I aim for 3:30 in this one, I'll have the experience to target sub 3 later in 2015 or early 2016 but I would like to do as well as I can this time around.
Thank you for your thoughts btw - looking to get as many opinions as possible.
Sounds to me like you are being very conservative with your estimated time. If this far out you are running 13 mile comfortably below your target race pace, then all being well you should have no bother beating 3:30, by a good whack.
Judging purely from my experience in the marathon, i'd suggest the key to running a solid race is trying to run a even/negative split, controlling your pace to enable you get through the second half in as good a form as possible. It sounds like common sense but it is so easy on race day to forget about this and get carried away in the first 10 mile as you are feeling good. Resist this urge. I reckon this is of more importance to low mileage runners, as the wall will be huge when you hit it! Softly softly catch a monkey
Cheers Reverand - I've entered for the Rhyl 10 in Feb and Wilmslow half in March so I think I'm gonna get them out of the way and see where I am then.
Noted your points re: negative splits - will definitely NOT be going off too fast, particularly as it goes pretty much past my house at 18 miles! Too tempting to drop out if hitting the wall!
Just entered Windermere in May.
during marathon training in the past I have used my house as the wall as to leaving an extra loop after it that got longer the near to race day
Interesting... So you're saying that you (for example) were doing a 20 mile run and you ran past your house at 15 miles?
How is everyone's training going?
Did my first 20 miler today so feeling little more confident now.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote