1:29 HM =1st marathon time of??

5 weeks to go until my first marathon.

When decided to run this was thinking sub 4:00 would be ok for first one (then had HM pb 1:36)

Training started to go ok and decided to try for 3:30 ish have managed all training sessions for this time-all have felt ok-gone slightly faster on intervals and LSR

Yesterday may marathon plan said sub 1:37 HM in middle of 16 mile run, i decided to run it as a time trial not 100% effort all the way but close by the end.

I ended up with 1:29:50 for the 13.1 miles and a avarage pace of 6:58 for the 16 miles.

If i put this into a calculator this suggest a sub 3:10 marathon!

I would love to get sub 3:15 and a GFA time but I am very worried about blowing up towards the end of the race.

What should I do? Go out at 3:15 pace and try to hold on-how bad could i feel if this goes wrong? I am talking something like 20 miles @3:15 pace then blowing and the last 6.2 a bit slower so still making current goal of 3:30 ish or is it more likely to be blowing and last 6.2 very slow / walking and struggling to get sub 4:00??

 I am going to try mid distance tri's next year so this although my first maraton could be my last for a while (unless get GFA time) 

 

Comments

  • Long runs going ok.

    Last one 23 miles @ 7:50 pace
  • thats impressive half time since it was not under race conditions

     

    if you have got the training in and you are not dead after the long runs I would say definitely go for the 3:15

  • Thanks

    KK your skim reading is like my listening- or so my wife would say!!



    Looking like going for 3:15 then as long as next few weeks of training goes ok
  • The difference there is you said he is a young guy.

    I am 42 and after a hard run don't feel that young anymore
  • Well about to get a good portion of the alcohol now

    Will look for some fairy dust tomorrow.

    And I am sure I have some steroid eye drops somewhere

    Sorted!!

    Thanks kk
  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Looking good for sub 3:15. My 1st HM was 1:28 and bought me a 3:02 on a hilly course (last year age 42) My long run pace is around 7:30s for a sub3. Worth trying out some marathon pace at the end of a long run.
  • AR - have you run any more halfs ? I reckon you should be smashing 1.28 if you can run 3.02. They don't seem to match up.
  • I think you could run sub-3:15 ...dare I say "easily" ?
  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭

    If you can time-trial a sub-1:30 HM in training I think 3:15 is definitely on.  I agree with A-r, try and add in 5 miles @ target pace towards the end of a long run, and/or do another mid-long run as before, 16 with 13 @ target pace, keep an eye on splits and really try to hit target pace, ideally tracking heart rate as well.  If you can complete that run feeling relatively comfortable, HR nice and steady, etc. this will be very good confidence for holding the pace during the race.

    A-r - That's a crazy conversion.  Go out and run 1:22 please!  image

  • I think that if you can run a 1:29:50 HM in the middle of a 16 mile training run, then in a HM race you should be looking at significantly quicker, ie 1:25ish.

    I am looking at a 1:22/1:23 HM next time out and wouldn't fancy trying to run 1:29 in training (and I wouldn't recommend doing it too often).

    Assuming the above I would have though 3:15 is definitely within your capabilities.

  • Thanks all

    did a interval session monday which plan (for a sub 3:30) said

    7 miles with 5*1 miles @7:00 miles pace

    6:43 slight up hill

    7:13 200 foot climb

    7:07 210 foot climb

    5:53 100 foot of decline

    6:08 slight decline

    Av of around 6:30 ish

    wanted to push to test if a sub 3:15 is on. Not sure what the spilts tell me though??

    My long run Friday is 22 miles will look at running last 5-6 at 7:20 pace.

    And that sound a good idea Phil I think next week (last week before tapper) I will swop a speed session for that 13 miles @ target pace

  • So did my long run today 23.3 miles.

    Followed philpub's advice and ran the 5 of the last 6 miles @7:20 pace.

    I also thought it would be a good test to run the first few miles target pace.

    I ended up running the first 7 miles @ 7:20 pace as well.

    Between mile 7 and 16 average pace was around 7:40.

    I ended up with 23.3 miles in 2:55 average pace 7:30.



    So what now??

    The last mile felt hard today, aware of not wanting or needing to push things I dropped pace to 7:50 for that mile.

    If this had been my marathon I think I could have done the last 2.8 miles @ 8:00 pace or quicker giving a total time of 3:18 ish.



    I now have 4 weeks to go until my marathon. Really unsure on what to do.

    If I get to it at the same level of fitness I am now the 3:15 is a good possibility.

    So how do I just maintain what I have now, I don't want to push training now and risk injury but I also don't want to lose fitness.

    My remaining long runs are (each week)20/18/12/marathon how shall I run these, should I ease of intervals/ tempo mid week sessions from now?



    Sorry loads of question I know. As this is my first marathon it's a leap in the dark for me.

    I am concerned about either going out at 3:15 pace and blowing up, equally though going out at 3:30 pace feeling good at the half way point but leaving far to much to do in the second half to get 3:15



    Did say I would run first for experience and not worry about time under 4:00 was original target!!!
  • JeremyGJeremyG ✭✭✭

    I would ease off the pace in the remaining long runs and keep the intervals/tempo sessions. Your endurance base looks good and running your remaining long runs at or near to marathon pace will just mean you get there tired. Running long runs too close to the day won't give you any increase in endurance as recovery/adaptation is 2-3 weeks.You can still improve fitness/speed which is why you can still do the tempo's etc.
    Enjoy the cut back and have confidence in your training and on the day set out at an even pace for 3:15 and you'll do great.
    My last LR before recent marathon average pace was about 8:10, marathon time 3:13 (HM is 1:29 but over a year ago)

  • thanks JG that along the lines I am thinking.

    As I feel that I am about where I need to be now, I am very tempted to get a late entry for Manchester next week-have a light week this week and then try to run @ goal pace on their flat course.

    I know this is not the right thing to do, probably won't but still tempted!!

  • and that's still tempted with aches from yesterdays run!!!!!

  • JeremyGJeremyG ✭✭✭

    It's not the right thing to do but since when has that stopped any of us image have fun!

  • running eyerunning eye ✭✭✭

    Decided not to run the sheffield half. 

    Did the white peak yesterday 3:12:58 so pleased with that as a first marathon. 

    Went out quick 1:35:30 for first half was ok at that pace upto 19-20 miles then found it hard going ITB on right leg was very painful and heavy legs in general. Very steep and painful down hills over last few miles garmin profile makes it look like I jumped of a cliff!! Feel a bit like I did today!

     

    GFA time so hopefully will do London now next year. 

    this was a trail marathon so think possibly a but quicker if had been road. 

    Would like to aim next time for sub 3:00 which would  need a massive improvement any advice on what training plan got follow? 

    I followed runners world 3:30 plan this time but ran the lsr faster than advised. probably to fast last  23 miler was at 7:30 pace 

Sign In or Register to comment.