Sub 3.45 Marathon

Welshpoppy

HI there, I am desperate to achieve a sub 3.45 marathon at Cardiff 3rd October 2004.Anyone with any Advice it will be greatly appreciated....I am not afraid of working hard to achieve this and put my life on hold to get what I want and I want it that badly!!!

[Deleted User]

OK, first things first: why do you want 3:45? I know the answer might be obvious (FLM green start and no toilet queues!) but I think that to have a goal, we need to work out *why* we want it and *why* it is important to us. These things matter when the training is hard.

Second: Having followed your FLM training, it seemed to me as though you were overtraining (hard sessions on consecutive days, not recovering after injury, maybe too many 20+ mile runs)... mileage is important (or can be) but it's not how hard you do it, it is *how* you do it...

Maybe it is time to start with a blank sheet of paper, look at some tried and tested training schedules (I used the RW sub-3.30 for my 3.43 marthon, and it worked a treat, Hal Higdon is another good one) and design one that works for you. And one that takes into account not just how you train and the time you have, but also doesn't aggravate any injuries. And one that leaves you time to do the odd half marathon without trying to shoehorn in a 20-mile run that week, or gives you time to be off sick or injured. Starting a 16 week schedule with 18 weeks to go isn't a bad idea!

Finally, enjoy the marthon training! I loved training for my first two marathons, and did really well, it's fair to say that I hated every minute of marathon training this year and did a rubbish time. Sometimes I think that if you get too obsessive about a certain time, you can stop enjoying your running - with possibly detrimental efects on your marathon time.

Anyway, those are my senile ramblings, dunno if they help or not but hope they do

AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Welshpoppy

Lizzy
Thanks for replying...Yes I really want a GFA place for London next year. I have set my heart on achieving this I see it as a challenge and want it for me it is a bit like the Holy Grail it is all I think about and especially after a poor FLM it has made me even more obssesed about it,but saying that I really enjoyed marathon training and can't wait to get my teeth in to it again.Especially as injurys all healed and running going well and I want to keep it that way.

I will look at at 3.30 plan with RW I always thought they seemed to be not enough long runs ? but what do I know!

Thanks again lots for me to think about

Welshpoppy

You could be right about my over training it is what a few people have commented on, and maybe why I got injured towards the end of training.

[Deleted User]

Yes, you can do too many long runs, too many can be as detrimental as too few. It all comes down to overtraining again, and having your body 'peak' at the right time. Possibly, you 'peaked' for London to early (meanwhile, old lazybones me is peaking about now...!)

Have you read Time Noakes' The Lore of Running? It might help you understand a bit more about how training actually 'works' and how your body adapts to it (or doesn't).

[Deleted User]

well
i willnever ever do 4 hours for a mara
But agree WP, you have been overtraining
its ok to push yourself, but not through injury and illness
Lizzy b speaks sense

Welshpoppy

Thanks girls,

Some great advice a few options.....

Yes I have Lore of Running among others just got Daniels Running Formula which looks interesting.

Just looked at RW plan nothing I can't handle in fact looks a bit easy ...just 6 days running instead of 5 think I can cope with that;-)

Hippo
I guess I have always equated hard work pushing yourself to the limits with getting the results you want.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Thanks Hippo! :-)

WP Other thing to remember is that overtraining does not always equal injuries, it can just lead to lacklustre performance. And there is a thin line between overtraining and training hard, the skill is in spotting where the dividing line is.

BTW - do you check your heartrate on waking ?- it can be a useful guide of how your body is feeling. And how you should train that day.

Welshpoppy

No I never check it before waking it is usually wake up and get kit on for a training session before work.

Will try to do it even if it is a few times a week.

I do have a GPS system which I am using to moniter my training.

I don't think I have the skills in spotting the dividing line!