Sub 4:30 anyone?

If there is already a sub 4:30 Marathon thread then my apoligies, I did search (honest).

So, me, 54yr old guy that's been running about 16 months and did Loch Ness in September in 4:55:02 so am guessing as I'm new the jump to a sub 4:30 could be on the cards? (it's only 58 seconds/mile faster than my first Marathon).

I've signed up for the Lochaber Marathon in April 2014 and whilst it's in the Highlands it is remarkably flat (shame that I don't have any flat areas close to home).

Anybody else want to go sub 4:30 by the Spring?

 

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Comments

  • I'll join, but I'm looking to go sub 4:00. My fastest so far has been 4:35 hilly trail in horrendous conditions.

    Did you complete by running all the way at a constant pace or did you start fast, fade and end up walking?

  • hi Tim, a sub 4 might be a goal for me in the future but that's a long way off.

    Nope, I had to take walk breaks as my knees started playing up around the 13 mile mark - my knees gave in image  My next Marathon is very flat so hope to be able to 'run' at a steady pace. When walk breaks started I was on time for a sub 4:30 (my A goal). 

    I've been following the HADD phase 1 Heart Rate training for 4 months and merged that with a Hal Higdon plan so hope to be better prepared this time image

  • What length was your longest training run? If you're following HADD it should have been very slow. Any idea why your knees gave in?

  • Im doing the Rock n Roll marathon in Liverpool in May so Ill join this, a sub 4:30 is my aim also, my 1st marathon though so maybe a bit optimistic!

  • I keep attempting (and failing) to sub 4.30 - next attempt will be Barcelona in March so count me in image

  • Welcome Dan image I did think about liverpool as well but decided to run nearer to home.

    Keggy, how many marathons have you done then? and are you close to 4:30?

    Tim, I missed my last long run but managed 3 20 milersand 2 16's. I think my knees went either due to the long declines in the first 7 miles or (more likely) the next 6 flat miles as I'm not used to flattish terrain (yet). I hope to be better prepared next time image 

  • I've just got a place at London in 2014.  I ran the Birmingham half in 2hr 15 on Sunday so I know I will need to put in some hard work in the next 6 months but I'm hoping I can do 4.5 hours in London

  • Congratulations Ejjie image And providing you do put in the work am sure sub 4:30 is achievable. 

  • Hi everyone, I'm hoping to go 4:15 but realistically sub 4:30 I'll be happy. I did brighton in 2011 in 5:08. I stayed withy friend until 16 miles then left her coz my bf in the crowd shouted at me! I'm glad I did thoughts I still finished 40mins quicker than she did - note to new runners: don't train mostly t night if ur run is in the morning! It was ridiculously hot and she wasn't prepared for it. Saying that the slow pace probably helped me to continue and not hurt at all during or after. We had planned to do 4 miles jogging then walk through water stations then jog again.



    This time I have a place in London - first attempt *sorry to those who have been trying for years with no success. (My friend being one of those isn't very impressed!) I haven't really kept up with running since but have being going to the gym so still relatively fit. No idea if I can do anywhere near 4:15 let alone 4:30! I'm building up some base mileage before I start a plan officially.



    Good luck to us all! I have a feeling a cold, wet winter is going to test us to see how much we actually want these times image
  • I apologise for my writing - phone likes to correct words and I can't see properly through the cracks in my screen!
  • I got a ballot place for London on my first attempt. It will be my first marathon. Would be over the moon with sub-4:30 and can't wait to start training.

  • Hi Bam and stop running away - congratulations to you both for getting ballot places image 

    Bam, it's good to have an A and B target, my A target was to finish my first Marathon and the B was sub 5.

    sra (ok, I'm lazy) nothing stopping you going out now and building some easy base miles in preparation for trainingimage

    Have any of you got your training plans worked out? I've 'created' my own (some would say bastardised it) and it's a mix of Hal Higdon and HADDing. Its an 18 week plan and have added 3 weeks to it for injury/sickness/lazyitus image A little adventurous for me at 6 days/week but prepared to drop the odd easy mileage day if it gets too much image

  • eeek Andi your getting a whole group together!! I need to get running again! (damn my little moo cow)

  • Hi Andi, well I've also concocted my own plan from looking at lots of different other ones, getting confused and then laying out what needs to be included and what I can achieve.

    Basically I'm doing:

    Mon - rest/cross train day

    Tues - easy run - approx. half to two thirds my long run. currently 1min slower than marathon pace but will drop to 30-45 once done a couple of weeks

    Weds - rest

    Thurs - fartlek/hill reps - will alternate these weekly

    Fri - rest

    Sat - threshold run - not 100% sure on what the pace should be but am aiming at half marathon pace - 10 min warm up, 10 min threshold, 10 min cool down. This will increase as time goes on. Every 3rd week will do a parkrun

    Sun - long slow run - starting off with time on feet, did 60 mins in torrential rain/wind just gone and did 5.1 miles....hopefully will eventually get to 10.30 per mile pace.

    Will just see how this pans out for me!

  • Trying to get used to this RW forum and I lost this thread yesterday! 

    @Andi - Barcelona will be my 10th marathon and I'm still not getting close to the elusive 4.30 image.  I tried at Chester the other week but someone stuck a bluddy hill in at 16½ miles which totally screwed me up!  I'm working on my plan - any suggestions gratefully received (unless it's the "run faster" one image)

  • Hi Andi. Am concentrating for the next few weeks on consistency in my running and building up my strength with yoga and swimming.

    I have devised a plan which is an amalgamation of a RunKeeper plan and a Hal Higdon plan. It is 16 weeks long, so I start training proper in Christmas week, which I am really looking forward to! Five runs a week, including one long and one tempo.

  • Bam86 wrote (see)

    Hi Andi, well I've also concocted my own plan from looking at lots of different other ones, getting confused and then laying out what needs to be included and what I can achieve.

    Basically I'm doing:

    Mon - rest/cross train day

    Tues - easy run - approx. half to two thirds my long run. currently 1min slower than marathon pace but will drop to 30-45 once done a couple of weeks

    Weds - rest

    Thurs - fartlek/hill reps - will alternate these weekly

    Fri - rest

    Sat - threshold run - not 100% sure on what the pace should be but am aiming at half marathon pace - 10 min warm up, 10 min threshold, 10 min cool down. This will increase as time goes on. Every 3rd week will do a parkrun

    Sun - long slow run - starting off with time on feet, did 60 mins in torrential rain/wind just gone and did 5.1 miles....hopefully will eventually get to 10.30 per mile pace.

    Will just see how this pans out for me!

    You need to understand what the purpose of your runs are. 

    A long run of 5.1 miles seems a bit strange if you are also doing threshold, fartlek and hill reps. 

    Concentrate on getting miles in your legs rather than speed work. The speed will come. 

    Don't worry about people who say long runs should only be a certain %age of your weekly distance. We're talking about marathon training here. 

    My long runs are twice a week, one 13-20 miles and one 10miles. Then 3 6mile easy runs and one 6x1000m interval session. But I'm aiming for 3:45. 

    Build up distance slowly, run as many miles has you can, the speed will come later. 

  • lol booktrunk, the sub title of this thread was going to be Andi  V  Booktrunk but have a sneaking feeling a 4:30 will be easy for you next time out (it's a long way till our headsup in September mind).

    Bam, txs for you plan and as you say, see how it pans out, it's your plan so do with it what you want. Tim mentioned your 5.1 mile long run, I guess your working on time rather than distance and this will build as the weeks go by? Personally I'd like to see that at least a 10 miler when training starts proper?

    Keggy, I know what you mean about the forum, parts of it are in need of fixing. If you go to the Spring Marathon section am hoping it stays on the first pageimage

    lol at the hill at Chester, I've not run it but heard many people moan about the hill. 10 Marathon is a decent total! what do you think is stopping you going sub 4:30? are you getting closer?

    sra, good call on the base building image I need to do some core work this time as well as I'm sure it helps keep good form for longer image Starting your plan Christmas week might see you fall behind at the start (if you anything like me), Why not start it a couple of weeks early and if you don't miss any training you can just repeat the 2 weeks before taper starts image

    Tim, for my first Marathon I did no speed training at all and most of my runs were around 60-80 minutes with 1 lsr (12-20). This time I'll have an 80% MHR run of up to 11 miles, am working on building that up, 2 3 mile easy runs @70% (transitioning to bikilas) a MLR up to 15 miles (73%) a race pace run building to 10 miles and a LSR between 10-20 miles. Once finalised I'll pop a screen print on here.

  • I'm confident that Christmas won't get in the way of running. In fact, I have a race on Boxing Day and solid plans for runs on Christmas Day and New Year's Day that I am really looking forward to.

    If I get struck down by illness or injury along the way I'll just have to cope with it as best I can.

    December will be very much focused on quality runs anyway. And getting used to the cold and rain!

  • keggsy I really think the key is a load of long runs lots of 22m runs I'm sure would help I've done 3 marathons and the more miles under the belt the further in before I start having issues that slow me down. 

  • Thanks Tim. I understand what you mean about miles in my legs but I just find tht if I do the same speed each time I get bored and this helps me to keep going! If general consensus is that I shouldn't worry yet then I'll stick to jogging about image



    Yes Andi you're right I'm just running for time at the moment and 5.1 is just what an hour happened to be. I've joined RUN brighton which have a marathon training group n do long runs on Sundays so that will start middle of November



    Sra - running on Christmas? That is dedication! I usually end up having to work but will make sure I stick to my schedule - more turkey and gateaux can be eaten that way. Hehe
  • Sra, as Bam says that's dedication image My plan has an easy 3 miler xmas day and a 9 miler on Boxing Day - both doable methinks.

    booktrunk, were your 22 milers for the marathons or Ultra? I've thought about going over the 'standard' 20 miles and do believe it helps, mentally as well as physically. You of course go the extra mile being an ultra runner nowimage

    Bam, good luck with RUN Brighton, am sure it will help image I see the odd runner here but they all seem faster than me and no running club. As for speed work, I did none for my first Marathon but this time going to try 1 80% MHR and 1 MP run each week in training if I can keep it up image

     

  • Yep Andi they both sound perfectly doable - Boxing Day may be slower than usualimage good luck with the new pacing. Trial and error will see how u cope with it - sure it'll be fine.



    It's a shame you don't have anything like run where you are. I did it before when I ran brighton and the atmosphere is really good and helps with nutrition, hydration and technique while building up your mileage
  • lol Bam and yup, boxing day may be taxingimage Whilst I understand the benefits of running in a group I do like running alone and sorting life stuff out. I no longer listen to music whilst running after I 'met' a fully laden log lorry on a bend on a forest trail and decided it was safer for me to leave the road than himimage

    As for Nutrition, am guessing that's a personal thing? On my only Marathon thus far I did feel nauseuos afterward and put that down to the Shot Bloks though had trained with them.

  • Running on Christmas = more food, less sitting around making small talk or watching crap telly.

  • I can't see any problem with Christmas Day being a rest day. I have a race on the Sunday 29th anyway. 

  • Bam, what races have you done before? What's your longest run?

    I would concentrate on just getting your long run up to 13miles first with a few runs during the week building up to 5miles. Once at that level introduce speed work. 

  • I listen to audiofuel when I run, keeps me focused and on the beat. Sometimes I like to run without music but I find often I get caught up listening to my breathing and then mess it up image I don't often run in a group but I like to know I won't get lost over the downs! And I enjoy meeting new people and helping each other along. The nutrition is personal but they give out freebies to try...perhaps I'm just a cheapskateimage



    Could have been the bloks making you feel nauseous but odd if you were used to running with them.



    Sra - excellent reasons! I go to my bf's in the evening and we play cards all night...and Boxing Day....and NYE....could do with running through some of that but I think it might be a bit obvious!
  • There is some evidence that running for longer than 3hours on your long run isn't beneficial. It's better to run consecutive mid length runs over two days. Say a 10mile then a 16mile. 

  • I've tried that TimR!  Both running over 3 hours and doing back to backs - neither got me near 4.30 image

    I think I've come to the conclusion that my training probably has too many junk miles in it.  My plan for Barcelona doesn't start for 3 weeks or so, so until then I am going to try to run faster so that my "easy" runs should be faster than they currently are - I think!

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